Mini Vic bounces back to her best Mini Vic bounced back to her best as she took the Curran South East Cleaners Handicap Hurdle under Andrew Ring for trainer Liz Doyle. Having won a bumper over the course on New Year Eve's 2011, the ten-year-old daughter of Old Vic soon followed up by taking a maiden hurdle at Thurles in February. Out of form of late, the bay mare was sent off at 14/1 and she was settled in mid-division, and was a moderate eleventh at the fourth last. She made progress under pressure to chase the leaders in fourth before the last, and she kept on best in the closing stages, getting up to score by a length and a half. Sacre Malta, the 3/1 favourite, looked set for victory after the last, but he tired badly on the run-in and had to settle for second under Conor Walsh for Willie Murphy. West Of The Edge (14/1) finished three and three parts of a length back in third under Declan Queally for James Dullea, while Sarah Battle (8/1) was a further length and a half back in fourth under Brian O’Connell for Gerard Quirk. Liz Doyle said afterwards: "She likes it around here, I retired on her a few years ago (after she won a bumper). "She has had three palate operations, and the last one worked! She has this big palate for her tiny skull, and she was just cutting out in all her races as she couldn’t breathe. "She is eleven pounds lower today that her initial handicap rating. "Andrew gave her a lovely ride. I told him not to come off the wall, and he didn’t. I won a couple of races around here and that is what I used to do. "She is a tiny horse but all she does is gallops and I suppose she is an Old Vic." STEWARDS REPORT The Stewards received a report from Turf Club Starter, Mr.P.L.Malone, that M. Darcy, rider of Volkis O'Blue (FR) anticipated the start of this race and contributed to two false starts. Evidence was heard from the starter and rider concerned. Having viewed the recording of the incident and considered the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion that M.Darcy was in breach of Rule 208, in that he caused two false starts and having considered his record, suspended him for three race days. Furthermore the rider was cautioned concerning his conduct in the stewards room.
