Gambling Girl & Kate Harrington approach the line in front © Photo Healy Racing
Gambling Girl landed an on-course touch, as she took the bumper at Bellewstown, the Monica Tolan Lady Riders INH Flat Race, for the mother and daughter team of Kate and Jessica Harrington.
After opening at 20/1, the four-year-old daughter of Hawk Wing was backed into 10/1 at the off.
Settled in mid-division, the River Racing Partnership owned filly made headway into second three furlongs out, and she hit the front at the two furlong pole.
She was soon ridden and she kept on well in the final furlong to score in good style by two and a half lengths. Spa Hill (6/1) finished second for the third time in-a-row, under Rachel Blackmore for John Nicholson, while Alton Bay was a length and three parts back in third under Jane Mangan for Peter Fahey at 7/4. Close One went off the 11/8 favourite for Charlie Swan and Katie Walsh, but he never really looked like winning, finishing four and three parts of a length back in fourth.
The winner was having just her second career start this evening, having disappointed on her debut at the Punchestown Festival in April, finishing a well-beaten fourteenth of twenty-two in the race won by Very Wood.
Kate Harrington said afterwards: "We thought a lot of her before Punchestown, but she got worked up before the race.
"She loved that better ground. She might go for a winners bumper now and then maybe a flat race."
Additional reporting by Michael Graham
