Ecliptic Moon delights Slevin

Another close finish at Bellewstown saw the judge called into action to declare Ecliptic Moon the winner of the second division of the Gerry Hughes Memorial Handicap. Miss Florentine looked to be unleashing a race-winning move in the closing stages between Blankiedoodie on the rail and Ecliptic Moon on the outer.

She burst through to lead narrowly close home but Ecliptic Moon rallied to best effect to get up by a head at 15/2. Miss Florentine had to settle for the runner-up berth at 7/2. Blankiedoodie couldn't go with the front pair and dropped a length and three quarters away in third at 15/2.

“We had a winner at this meeting for the last few years so it's nice to come back again. We try and get one every year, I only had two runners and this was my last dart to throw so I'm delighted,” said trainer Nigel Slevin.

“He's won twice on the all-weather and we were starting to wonder was he just an all-weather horse.

“In fairness, he did it well tonight and we might stick to the grass until the end of the season before going back to Dundalk.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson