Birthday joy for McCreery as Joyce prevails

Joyce Compton and Billy Lee overcame plenty of traffic problems to take the Gowran Park Golf Club Nursery Handicap.

Placed three times from her six starts before today, the Willie McCreery trained chestnut filly certainly wasn't winning out of turn, and she went off an 8/1 chance (12's in a place this morning and from 9's on track) in the colours of owner Garrett Freyne.

After racing mainly in fifth, she attempted to challenge from two furlongs out, but a potential gap was quickly closed.

She was ridden over a furlong from home, and she was again squeezed for room, before eventually getting the split she needed in the closing stages, getting up to prevail by a nose. Awicompany who was backed from 33's this morning and from 14's to 10's on-course, was the one just denied, and she had to settle for second under Seamie Heffernan for Jimmy Coogan.

Heffernan, who put up a pound overweight, was replacing Leigh Roche who was sore after his mount Sleepy Gent slipped up in the previous contest. Dandys Gold (7/1) completed the placings a further three parts of a length back in third under Chris Hayes for Willie Fitzpatrick, while the 9/2 favourite (8's last night) Canberra Cliffs could only manage seventh under Pat Smullen for David Wachman.

Willie McCreery, who is celebrating his 49th birthday today, said afterwards: "She's a tough little nut, and a mile the last day was too far for her on the ground. She loves that fast ground. Billy rode her patient and just hoped the gap would come."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee