Dalaval Wins Battle of Blue-Bloods

It goes without saying that a horse in the ownership of Miss Pat O'Kelly would be well-bred, but Dalaval by an Arc winner in Dalakhani, out of an unraced half-sister to an Arc winner in Carnegie, lost his maiden status at Tramore, in the Graun Hill Maiden, beating Grey Swallow's full-sister, Diamond Star by nine lengths.

Fran Berry was completing a just over ten to one double on this 15/8 favourite, having earlier scored on Pointed Arch The success came as a most welcome one for Michael Grassick, his second on the level this season.

His son, Michael junior, said, "We haven't been running many but they just haven't been right, though we had two seconds at Ballinrobe on Monday. We've always liked this fellow and he was entitled to win here and the blinkers helped him. It is nice to have a winner for our main owner." (EM)