Solita, yellow cap, starts to stay on in Wexford© Photo Healy Racing
Solita stormed home under Luke Dempsey to prevail in the Courtown Rated Novice Hurdle (Left-Handed) over two and a half miles at Wexford.
She was pushed along in fifth of the six runners over three furlongs out but was still in touch with the leader Akorakor
She came wide into the home straight and started to stay on strongly after jumping the second last in fourth. At the last she was on terms with Akorakor and kept on best to win by two lengths and justify 11/4 favouritism. Akorakor (10/3) had cut out the running but had to settle for second best.
Luke Dempsey said: "She was never going. She was even jumping slow enough for her. She's not a bad mare but I'd say she wants more of a galloping track.
"I was a bit too wide turning in but I thought turning in I was going to get there. She's a nice mare, she might win a nice little handicap somewhere. When she straightened up she stuck her head down."
Handler Paul Nolan was represented by his brother James Nolan who said: "She got away with it. I thought that she would love the ground coming down here and I would have thought that at Fairyhouse the last day that it would be the beating of her but it was the opposite.
"She never went a yard today and didn't enjoy the ground. Luke thought he was in trouble everywhere bar the back of the second last. Her class I suppose got her through. I didn't think we'd be collecting anywhere. We might go for a flat maiden with her, she has plenty of pace.
"We worked a few down here in the autumn when Val (clerk of the course Val O'Connell) asked us to bring a few down. We all gave it the thumbs-up. We had no doubt at all that it would ride a better track, it is safer for horses and jockeys. I think it would be a very easy decision to make as far as we are concerned."
Solita was backed this morning from 11/4 to 7/4.
Additional reporting by Donal Murphy
