Step Back In Time and Rory Cleary win the Simonstown Handicap from Distillate. © Photo Healy Racing
Step Back In Time made most of the running under Rory Cleary before staying on strongly up the hill to land the Simonstown Handicap at Navan.
Making a quick reappearance, having finished seventh at Cork on Wednesday, the Chris Timmons trained mare broke smartly and always raced towards the head of affairs.
Headed briefly by Distillate over a furlong out, Step Back In Time regained the lead climbing to the finish, staying on strongly under Rory Cleary to run out a half-length winner. Rathbranchurch kept on well to deadheat with Distillate for the second spot, with Siesta Beach a short head back in fourth.
Chris Timmons said: "She got away with it (drop in trip), it was a stiff five. Rory thought maybe six would be more in her line, but I'm delighted.
"The owner (Siobhan Tolerton) bred her and she has persevered with her, I'm delighted to win for her. Her father Wilfred Tolerton used to train years ago.
"She really ground it out well.
"It just took her a while to find her feet. She hasn't been running badly, she ran in Cork on Wednesday and she was just pinging the gates and was out in front with no cover over seven - she was a sitting duck and they just came and swallowed her up in the last half furlong.
"She came out of it well, so we said we would roll the dice.
"She's not in again, she's due to come into season and she has had a busy couple of weeks so we will back off her for a week or so."
Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
