Oh Happy Days (blue & orange) stays on best under Billy Lee to score from Summer Knight (cheekpieces)© Photo Healy Racing
For the second time today, the lesser fancied of two David Wachman trained runners came out on top, with his filly Oh Happy Days taking the Follow Gowran Park on Facebook 3yo Handicap under Billy Lee, completing a double for the Co Tipperary based trainer.
Wachman's better fancied runner Queenscliff (who was 9/4 this morning, opening at 7/4 on track and returned the 5/4 favourite) was bumped two furlongs from home and that certainly didn’t help her chances as she eventually came home in tenth.
The winner, who is a daughter of Galileo, was having her fifth career start today and her first of the season.
Today was also her first time to be tried in handicap company after running in four maidens last year.
16/1 shot Summer Knight for Andy Oliver and Ben Curtis attempted to make all but they had to settle for second as they couldn’t hold off the winner inside the final furlong as she stayed on best to score at 14/1 by half a length at the line. South South West was a further neck back in third at 12/1 under Danny Grant for Pat Flynn while Dragon Khan completed the placings a further half a length back in fourth at 7/2 for Fran Berry and Christy Roche.
Winning trainer David Wachman said afterwards: "That was great. Billy gave her a great ride. He gave her a chance and just crept and crept.
"We will run her in another similar handicap now. There wasn't much between four or five of them there. My horses are running well at the moment."
Donal Murphy & Gary Carson
