Mister Melia dots up in the last© Photo Healy Racing
Finbar Hand secured his first racecourse victory for more than six years when Mister Melia (12/1) ran away with the bumper by eight and a half lengths with Declan Lavery in the plate.
The five-year-old gelding was always to the fore and showed a good turn of foot to open up rounding the home bend.
He was given the office by Lavery approaching the final furlong and stormed away for a clear-cut success. Lavery dismounted shortly after the winning post. Shanwalla was heavily punted at the track from 8/1 to 4/1 but could make no impression in second.
Patrick Mullins' dash from winning the qualified riders' race on Stratum in Killarney, to ride 5/4 favourite Blue Jacaranda didn't pay off as she was another three and a half lengths back in third.
Finbar Hand said: “He's lame out there. Hopefully going forward he'll be okay.
“He might have just tapped himself. When he went to pull him up he hit himself. It might just be a nerve, hopefully it's nothing worse.
“He's a nice horse and we always thought a lot of him. We thought he'd win in Ballinrobe but he didn't, it was a rough old race.
“He got into a lovely rhythm there today and Declan said he didn't have to touch him.
“He shows that at home, he shows lots of speed. It's just my second runner back in four years.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
