Lady Lingo and Richie Deegan (far side) are pressed at the last by Ally Cay © Photo Healy Racing
As was the case when winning her maiden at Navan in June, Lady Lingo (4/1) was game in front as she made all in the John H Kierans Memorial Mares Hurdle.
A daughter of the Samum horse Durban Thunder, who was a Group 1 winner in Germany, the 6-year-old jumped nimbly for 5lb Richie Deegan and, when strongly pressed at the last by Ally Cay she found more on the run-in to thwart that one by a short head.
The rider of the runner-up, Jordan Gainford, dropped his whip after the second-last.
Winning trainer Joe Hennessy, whose wife Bernie is the owner/breeder of the mare, said: “We probably got it wrong the last day (second at Limerick) when we let the other horse to do her own thing in front,” said Hennessy.
“Today we decided to make it and that's the making of her. She's very tough.
“Hopefully she'll be okay in the morning as she was a bit jarred up the last day, the ground was a bit quick for her there.
“Obviously black-type is always the aim with fillies. We'll see where we go next and it probably be about a month as she needs a bit of time between her races.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
