Gambled foiled as Mags makes the breakthrough

Mags just foiled a gamble on Nakasero (6/5f from 7/2 early) in the irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap, with the pair dominating this seven runner heat.

Placed on her last three starts, the Kieran Cotter-trained victor certainly wasn't winning out of turn, stepping up to a mile for the first time.

Soon settled in second by Shane Foley, she was pushed along to tackle the front-running market leader from early in the straight.

Ridden over a furlong from home, she kept up her persistent challenge and just edged to the front in the final strides, with a short head the margin of victory.

Carrying the colours of the Knobel McGrath Partnership, the winner, who was bought for €22,000 at the Goffs Sportsman's Sale in September of 2022, was returned at 9/2.

After partnering Mags on all but one of her eight previous starts, Ronan Whelan had to settle for second on the aforementioned Nakasero.

"A mile was ideal and it will be a mile and a-quarter next year," Cotter explained.

"No-one could say she wasn't due that. We are after picking up three penalties the last three times we came up here.

"That's her for the season now. She is a big, raw filly and we need to let her mature a bit more. Glad we can close off the year for her and job done with a winner.

"It is nice to see a horse that is going forward at the line.

"It was a competitive enough handicap and she kept finding. Shane said she didn't do a tap once she actually got there."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham