Anna Bunina (left) comes with her winning run under Cillian McConnell © Photo Healy Racing
Anna Bunina came home with a wet sail to land the Killarney Race Goers Club Apprentice Handicap for the father and son team of John and Cillian McConnell.
A Grade 2 winner over flights in April, the Caroline Ahearne owned bay was returning to the level for the first time since February of last year.
Last seen finishing a respectable ninth in the Galway Hurdle, she was sent off a 13/2 chance this evening, drifting from early shows of 9/2.
Settled in mid-division, the six-year-old was ridden from early in the straight and only really got going with a furlong left to race, sweeping down the outer to lead in the closing stages, going on to prevail by half-a-length. Barometer (7/4f), who won at Tramore on Saturday, looked set to score inside the final 150 yards but he couldn't repel the late surge of the winner and had to settle for second under Scott McCullagh for John Murphy. Burren Song (18/1 from 28s) completed the places another length-and-a-half back in third.
"She is unbelievable and I keep on saying it, but I'll never get another one like her. She is top class for me," McConnell said.
"I had her entered for the earlier Kingdom Gold Cup but there was some rule that she couldn't run having not run at 1m4f in the past two years. They threw her out and she had a big weight in this but I was keen to run as she likes going left-handed.
"I'm obviously delighted for Cillian who rides her every day, bar the schooling. I wanted to give him a chance on her and he didn't let me down.
"I entered her in the Petingo Handicap (on Champions Weekend) yesterday and it might be something to look at. She stays very well, the handicapper can't crucify her too much and there might be another bit more from her mark.
"The Scottish Champion Hurdle is a great race to win and I'd like to bring her back next year."
STEWARDS REPORT
J.A. Powell, rider of Missy Zippy trained by John Stephen O'Donoghue, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount's saddle slipped.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
