Kilganer a birthday winner for Tom Cleary

Kilganer Queen (18/1) was a nice winner for Rachael Blackmore followers as the 10-y-o won the Monroe’s Live (Mares) Handicap Hurdle for trainer Tom Cleary.

It was a sixth career win for the daughter of Trans Island, four over hurdles along with a couple of chases. Blackmore gets on well with her, and this was the fourth time she’s partnered her to victory.

She won five when in the care of Denise O’Shea, and was one of the horses that really helped her jockey to get the winners flowing regularly back in 2017.

Here, she led travelling well after two out and was always holding Silver Planeur in the final furlong. Two and a half lengths was the margin, with 15/8 favourite Birdie Blitz finishing back in fourth.

Winning trainer Tom Cleary said: “She ran well in Tipperary on her first run for us and we knew she had come on a lot from it.

“It was great to get Rachael to ride her as she’d won on her a few times before.

“It’s nice to get a winner here as I’m originally a local and it’s my birthday today as well (64).”

Additional reporting by Eamonn Murphy