Owner Frank McNulty and jockey Ben Dalton with Leah Claire© Photo Healy Racing
Ben Dalton landed another winner this week when guiding Leah Claire to victory in the Provimi Rated Hurdle at Limerick.
The mare was always in front rank behind Absolutlyfantastic who set out to make all. Although Dalton was pushing his charge along on the home bend she got a second wind and put in a great jump at the second last.
After the last he switched her out from behind Absolutlyfantastic and the result was sealed. The seven-year-old won by three and a half lengths and justified 2/1 favouritism.
Handler Willie McCreery said: “She was bang in at the ratings and the handicapper can’t touch her. She did what we expected her to do, but she wasn’t suited by there being no pace.
“She has a type of rating whereby you would be tempted to run her every week, but I decided to wait for today.
“She’ll go for a good two and a half mile handicap hurdle at Punchestown next. She is as honest as you could get. If we had a few more like her we would be laughing.”
That was Leah Claire’s fourth run for Willie McCreery. She was formerly with Matthieu Palussiere.
Absolutlyfantastic and Andrew Lynch kept on for second at 3/1. Dul Ar An Ol took third-placed prize money at 7/1, two and a half lengths off the runner-up.
The race was decimated by non-runners due to the drying out ground. Willie Mullins withdrew all his runners today at Limerick.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
