Daisy's Gift (Paul Townend, right) beats Whiteout (Ruby Walsh, left)© Photo Healy Racing
The Willie Mullins pair, Daisy's Gift (Paul Townend), and Whiteout (Ruby Walsh), engaged top gear on either side of the rest from two out in the Listed Pat Walsh Memorial Mares Hurdle at Gowran. It was the former, the bigger priced of the duo, that edged things in the two and a half miler.
The victorious 13/2 chance was waited with in company with 5/4 market-leader Whiteout for much of the journey.
When things hotted up in the straight, Daisy's Gift, an eight-year-old at this stage, led and made a slight mistake at the final flight.
Four years her junior, Whiteout just couldn't match the successful Presenting mare on the run-in, and the margin between the pair at the line was half a length. Collen Beag secured valuable black-type, seven lengths off them in third.
"The ground probably suited, they went a nice gallop and she stays well. It was a bit of a surprise beating the other one (Whiteout)," said Townend.
"The race panned out well. They went plenty quick enough for me but she was able to hang onto them and she stayed well."
(AM & EM)
