Inchiquin Star © Photo Healy Racing
A winner at Tramore just under a year ago, Inchiquin Star (8/1) registered the second victory of her career in the Noel O'Connell Memorial Mares Handicap Hurdle.
The daughter of Mount Nelson, owned by Sean Harnedy, tracked the leaders and moved to the front on the run to the second-last. The five-year-old was pursued up the run-in by Bayou Belle but held that one's challenge by a length and a half.
It completed a quick double, on his return from injury, for 5lb claimer Cian Quirke after his win on Sunchart in the opener.
Quirke, who had been out of action since May, said: "That's my second double. I broke my left wrist in Limerick three months ago and I was only back after breaking my leg three months before that. Just before that I was back from breaking my other wrist, so it's just been injury after injury.
"I still have a good bit of my 5lb claim to use and I've another three rides today."
Trainer Paul Kiely added: "We were hopeful today. She has been a bit unlucky on her last couple of runs. She ran well at Tipperary but just took some kind of false step after the last. She done well to stay standing after that and lost all momentum. She is a real consistent filly and I think she is probably good enough to win on the Flat too. She is a grand fun mare for the summer and can mix it between both codes. She likes nicer ground.
"She will probably go back to Tramore now. There is a race on the Flat and a race over hurdles for her there and she'll go for one or the other."
Quotes from Donal Murphy
