Kitty just prevails in thrilling finish

Hurry Kitty just got up to win the bumper at Killarney, the Meet The Roses At Killarney Races Ladies Flat Race, scoring under Lisa O’Neill for Liz Doyle.

The five-year-old daughter of High-Rise showed very little in two point-to-point’s when trained by John Martin Walsh but she ran a nice race on her first start for Doyle in a maiden hurdle at Clonmel, finishing just over eleven lengths behind Hell Cat Maggie.

She finishing fourth to Beach Of Falesa on her next start again in a maiden hurdle at Wexford and having her first run a bumper this evening she was sent off at 11/2.

Having chased the leaders in the early stages she was sixth after halfway.

She made progress from four furlongs out and was ridden in second with two furlongs to race.

She came with her challenge inside the final furlong and in what was a three way battle to the line she just got her head in front at the crucial moment to prevail by a nose. Jamesmicheal ran a big race to finish second at 10/1 under Liz Lalor for John Brassil, while the 7/4 favourite Blue Owen who attempted to make all, was a head back in third under Kate Harrington for her mother Jessica.

Liz Doyle said afterwards: "I don’t have her that long. I only have her three weeks before he hurdle run.

"She has improved no end and has put weight on. I said I’d have to have a go at a bumper. I decided to come here as I won this race myself in the past.

"I thought she was beaten after a mile as they went no gallop and it takes her a while to get through the gears but she just got there in end.

"She is a real summer mare and she will go back over hurdles now."

The winner was sold at Goresbridge as a three-year-old for just €450.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee