White Clover and Gary Carroll (centre)© Photo Healy Racing
White Clover finished best to gain a deserved success in the three-year-old plus maiden over the minimum trip at Navan.
The Joe Murphy-trained filly had been placed in four of her previous seven runs but had disappointed last time at the Curragh, when she reportedly never travelled in first-time cheekpieces.
The headgear was taken off today and the 8/1 shot stuck her head out gamely for Gary Carroll to lead in the last 50 yards and hold the challenge of 8/11 favourite Beatrix Power by half-a-length.
Murphy said: "I am delighted with that because I don't know what happened the last day. She has never run a bad race and we said ' what has gone wrong?'
"We just drew a line through it when she came home and we found nothing wrong with her. We gave her two or three days off and she came back to herself again.
"We always thought she would have her maiden won by now, but she is nicely handicapped so we will go for a handicap at the start of next year. I don't think there is much left for her (this year).
"Gary gave her a great ride - he is with me 13 years."
(Quotes by Michael Graham)
