Miranda's Girl bounced back to her very best to land a gamble in the I.F.A Race Day Handicap for her trainer Tom Cleary with seven pound claimer Colin Keane.
The 6yo daughter of Titus Livius was having her thirty eighth start today since her last win, which came over the course back in July of 2009. She won by six lengths that day and was given a rise of fourteen pounds as a result.
She had been running well of late and wasn't beaten far on her last four starts.
Having opened at 8/1 this morning she was well supported and was sent off the 4/1 favourite at the off.
She took up the lead after a furlong and a half and went clear approaching the straight. She kept on well from the front, fending off the challenge of Burn The Floor (9/2) to score by three and a half lengths at the line. Iron Major who was bidding for his fourth win in a row, ran another good race to finish a further three and a half lengths back in third for Johnny Murtagh and Eddie Lynam.
Sixteen year old winning rider Colin Keane was having his third winner since Thursday, having scored aboard Un-Hinged at Leopardstown and No Trimmings yesterday at Dundalk.
Winning trainer Tom Cleary said afterwards: "That was well overdue. We were hoping for the rain and she loved it. She had a nice light weight and it was the first time Colin was claiming seven pounds, so he was able to do it.
"It's nice to give him a winner as his dad Gerry (trainer, Gerard Keane) gave Rory (Rory Cleary) his first winner when he was starting out.
"I'm delighted for the owners (the Moyclear Syndicate), who have a few horses with me, they have been patient.
"She ran poorly over a mile and a half over the course in June, so we dropped her back to seven furlongs and it worked."
Donal Murphy
