Liberty Dance and Jamie Codd© Photo Healy Racing
Liberty Dance brought up a first and last-race double for Gordon Elliott when taking the mares' bumper at Naas in workmanlike fashion.
She went off at 1/5 to account for her four rivals (Dorans Weir and Premier Queen were scratched) on the back of being beaten a nose and a short head into third at the Grade 2 mares' bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival.
The five-year-old mare was pushed along by Jamie Codd to take a narrow lead in the final quarter of a mile and had to be ridden outside the furlong pole as Saratoga Lass was still boxing away on her outer.
In the final 100 yards, she began to assert her authority and drew three and three quarter lengths clear at the line. Saratoga Lass couldn't go with her with ran a fine race in second at 33/1.
Codd said: “This winners’ bumper is always a muddling race but in fairness once she got going into top gear the last furlong was fine. She won snug enough in the end.
“We’ll see what Gordon wants to do. She probably wants two and a half miles and she’ll get it over jumps next year.”
Elliott won the opener on the card with Jack In The Box (11/4jf).
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
