Girl pays ultimate price as well-bred Angel off the mark

Favourite Motown Girl slipped up with a circuit to go in the David Flynn Ltd. (Mares) Maiden Hurdle. She was a fatality in the incident which put a big dampener on proceedings at Tramore as the fifth on the programme eventually went the way of Kilbarry Angel

The unrelated trainer and jockey combination of Con O'Keeffe and Sean O'Keeffe clicked with the well-bred Kilbarry Angel as she beat off Brave Inca's half-sister Quri by three and a quarter lengths.

"She has been knocking on the door but we didn't really fancy her today because we thought the ground might be too quick for her," revealed the successful locally-based handler.

"She might have one more run now before heading to stud.

"She has a beautiful pedigree and is a lovely mare. Sean's brother Conor works with us on the stud farm and that's how we got him for the ride."

The Stewards enquired into the falls of Motown Girl, ridden by D.E. Mullins and Duke's Girl ridden by D.F. O'Regan passing the stands with a circuit to go.

D.E. Mullins stated that his mount fell independently on the flat and D.F O'Regan stated that his mount was brought down when the horse in front of him fell.

Having viewed a recording of the incident, and considered the evidence, the Stewards attributed no fault to any party and took no further action.

Mr. Emmet Halley absented himself from this enquiry and Mr. Victor Connolly acted as chairman.

(DM & EM)