Champagne Beauty and Denis O'Regan © Photo Healy Racing
The Castlerea (Mares) Beginners’ Chase was easily won by Champagne Beauty (7/2) in the hands of Denis O’Regan.
The grey by Acambaro took up the running on the final circuit and eased clear up the home straight to win by 15 lengths from Lunch In Adare (7/2) with Vic’s Little Miss (33/1) a distant third.
The 6/4 favourite Amor Verdadero finished fourth.
The winner had won a point-to-point at Turtulla last November and had been placed in her first two starts over racecourse fences at Kilbeggan and Tramore.
The winning owner-trainer Patrick Fitzgerald, based in Killeagh, Co.Cork was delighted with his first success ‘under Rules’: "I’ve had point-to-point winners and this mare gave me my last one between the flags.
“She’s now after giving me my first track winner and I can’t believe that man (O'Regan) was the one to ride it for me.
"He came to me to ride out as a youngster, and when he talked about riding Cheltenham winners, and the like, I told him he was only dreaming but how right he was.
“I have a picture of Denis, Liam Keniry and a son of mine, with me today.
“That’s a long time ago now and to get this win is just brilliant.”
“She ran a great race in Kilbeggan and she didn’t enjoy Tramore, she was changing her legs all the time.
“She’d prefer a left-handed track but she handled that today because she wasn’t turning all the time.
“Denis (O’Regan) said she’s one of the best jumpers he’s ever sat on.
“I knew after Cork (fourth in a bumper) that she had ability because she cruised into the straight that day. I said to myself, put fences in front of her now and she did it here today.”
Additional reporting by Eamonn Murphy
