Meet My Loreley goes for home under Finny Maguire© Photo Healy Racing
Second in the opener with his only other runner on the card, Barry Connell struck in the finale at Navan, the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race with Meet My Loreley gaining a hard fought success under Finny Maguire.
Owner/trainer Connell's Hashtag Pretender finished runner-up to the impressive Toto Too in the 1.35 event, and just over four hours later in the nightcap stable companion Meet My Loreley went a place better.
The former Hugh Finnegan runner, having her second outing for Connell today, is nothing if not tough if this performance is any guage.
She got the better of eventual third Charming Fortune in the final furlong. She then had to deal with the turbo charged finishing kick of Is She Now which she managed to contain by a neck.
"It was my fault the last day in Wexford - we rode her the wrong way, we dropped her out and there was no pace and it turned into a sprint," said Connell.
"She wants a big, galloping track like this.
"She has plenty of experience now, she has her point-to-point won but I was surprised how well she travelled all the way down and, then when the other horse came to her, I thought he might take her by surprise and just go by her, but she heard him coming and picked up.
"This is a bonus because she is a staying mare, she is a jumping mare. We are delighted to get that job done today.
"She won a point-to-point in Lisronagh last year, so on the basis of that she is well capable of winning a mares' maiden hurdle and we will see where we go after that.
"We'll go for a mares' maiden hurdle in three or four weeks time.
"I wouldn't think she would want deep ground, but until Christmas the ground doesn't tend to get too bad."
Mr F. Maguire, rider of Meet My Loreley, trained by Barry Connell, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount ran green when he hit the front and drifted left in the final furlong.
(MG & EM)
