O'Connell benefits again

Benefique overcame a near eight month lay-off to take the two miles mares maiden hurdle in convincing fashion under in-form Brian O'Connell.

O'Connell, recording his fourth winner in just 11 days, sent the daughter of Beneficial past the front-running Tear Drops approaching two out.

The six-year-old mare (7/2) kept on well up the hill to beat the staying on Presenting Ruby (backed from 12/1 into 8's) by three and a half lengths, with Lough Donnell Mist (25/1) third.

“We have been waiting for better ground, and that's the only reason she hasn't run. She won a bumper at Downpatrick last year, and was unlucky not to win a second. She's a very straight forward mare, a lovely mare,” said trainer Dan Fogarty, who trains near Gowran and is a brother of racecourse manager Margaret Fogarty.