Picpoul © Photo Healy Racing
There was a local success in the first division of the ten-furlong handicap when Picpoul (7/1) cleared away from her rivals in the final furlong to win emphatically.
Trained by Michael Rice, the five-year-old had won back-to-back handicaps here in November 2021 but had had her share of issues since.
Here, in a race run at a good clip, she was pushed along in mid-division by Robert Whearty early in the straight but picked off rivals and came home strongly to defeat Breagagh by three and a quarter lengths.
Rice said: "We were waiting a while for that, near enough two years. It is great to get her back on track, it took her a while but we have her back.
"We'll see how she is in the morning, I think there is another one for her next week.
She ran in January 2022 and after that I think she overextended her knee and she just wasn't firing. We gave her a bit of a break and took her back and she still wasn't right. Then six months ago, we got her back looked at and we had to lay her off and gave her a few exercises. It was a long trail, but we are back now.
"I knew after her last two runs she was in form.
"Jamie Powell and Robert (Whearty) were saying to try her over hurdles, but she won't jump a pole! We took her up to Skyrne and she actually climbed across the hurdles, but I'll get her jumping hurdles.
"There's another couple of Flat races in her and, if so, we will stay at it. She's not just 100 per cent, I'd say she is around 95 per cent.
"Obviously now she is getting that trip - she is bigger, she is stronger and has matured. Upwards and onwards with her.
"I'm only five minutes away behind the Ballymascanlon Hotel, I might stay in the Ballymac tonight!"
Quotes from Michael Graham
