Blossom bounces back to her best

Two time bumper winner Blossom Gate bounced back to her best as she took the Paddy Power Mobile Betting INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle under Andrew Latta for trainer John Kiely.

The 5yo daughter of Westerner has been very disappointing since her two bumper successes in the summer of 2011 and she was making her fifth start over hurdles this afternoon.

Sent off at 10/1 for today's 2m 4f contest she hit the front before the last and went a couple of lengths clear before maintaining her advantage on the run-in to score by two and three parts of a length at the line. The Crafty Butcher was sent off the 9/10 favourite under Ruby Walsh for Michael Hourigan but he couldn’t match the winner and had to settle for second. Coolmill finished best of the rest a further seven and a half lengths back in third under Adrian Heskin at 16/1.

Winning trainer John Kiely said afterwards: "She struck a hurdle the last day and her rider was over good to her after that. That's why she was beaten by so far.

"She likes that ground and it is as good a ground you will get in the country.

"My full complements to the staff here as there isn’t a better looked after track in the country."

Winning rider Andrew Latta was recording his first success since partnering Blossom Gate to win her second bumper at Galway in July of 2011.

(Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes)