Wate And Sea another for favourite backers

Wate And Sea made it three from three for favourite backers at Kilbeggan as she took the Joe Cooney Memorial Handicap Hurdle under Adrian Heskin for John Joe Walsh.

The six-year-old daughter of Definite Article sprang a 20/1 surprise in first time cheekpieces on her handicap debut at Ballinrobe last month and she was sent off the 3/1 favourite to follow up this evening.

Having raced mainly in fourth she was left in a close-up second after the third last (Salacious Sally unseated) and she eased into the lead before the next flight.

She soon stretched clear and came home eleven lengths to the good with the well-backed Snapchat finishing second under Katie O’Farrell for her father Seamus at 9/1 (16’s in the morning and from 10’s on-course). Drive The Bus completed the placings a further length and three parts back in third under trainer his Denis Hogan while the gambled on Chief Of Pamana (7’s this morning and from 5’s to 7/2 on-course) was fourth under Shane Shortall for Liam Cusack.

John Joe Walsh said afterwards: "It took a while for her to find form. It was a poor race and we'll try and get another one somewhere along the line.

"She's confined to jumping the easy-fix hurdles but we might try her over the other hurdles later on.

"The ground was lovely and it suited her."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson