Slim Marvel and Philip Donovan© Photo Healy Racing
Slim Marvel gained reward for a number of placed efforts when opening her account in the opening Kilbegganraces.com Mares Maiden Hurdle.
The Andy Slattery-trained mare made most of the running and held a slight advantage over 11/10 favourite Four Clean Aces when meeting the last wrong.
This gave her rival a chance to come along side but the 100/30 chance dug deep in the closing stages and kept on well to score by three-quarters of a length. Workinonadream was six lengths back in third.
The 2m3f event was marred by a fatal injury to Magic Dawn who was still in contention when pulled up quickly after the penultimate flight.
Donovan said, “The last day at Bellewstown she got side-swiped at the first and in fairness to Trevor Ryan he looked after her.
“Today it was a case of get out, get a clean run and if they were not going quick enough then go my own gallop.
“I made a mistake on her one day in Ballinrobe where I didn’t go fast enough. She was a good willing partner today and I think there is a bit more to come from this mare.
“She just wasn’t as slick as she can be at the last, but she loves to jump and gallop and that’s what she did today.”
