Elegant Lass notches third win over hurdles

Elegant Lass (9/1) registered her third victory over hurdles when making all in the TipperaryRacecourse.ie Handicap Hurdle (80-109).

Darragh O’Keeffe, who has been on board owner Leonard Kinsella’s mare for each of her wins, got her into a good jumping rhythm out in front and she came home ten lengths clear of Karawaan (8/1).

The 6-year-old had won at Bellewstown in early July on her first start of 2020 before going on to win at Tramore later in the summer, and achieved something similar here having been absent since running at Dundalk in December.

Winning trainer Tom Gibney said: "We were hoping for the same thing as last year (to win on reappearance) and it was a similar track to Bellewstown - flat and quick. She looked to get her own way in front today which was ideal and everything went really right and she jumped great.

"It is good to have her back, there aren't many of those Dandy Mans hurdling so to get the two miles over hurdles is great.

"She was very flighty and headstrong on the flat and wasn't getting home and we only went hurdling to try to get her to settle down. It has worked so well I think she'll stay over hurdles now."

Quotes from Thomas Weekes