Gareth Malone gives Treat Yourself a pat on the neck after he took the third at Gowran© Photo Healy Racing
The Arthur Moore trained Treat Yourself landed a gamble in the Join Gowran Park Race Club Today Handicap Hurdle providing his young jockey Gareth Malone with his fifth career success.
The 5yo son of Beat Hollow opened a general 7/1 chance this morning but was backed into an opening show on-course of just 7/2.
He did touch 4/1 on-course but was sent off the 7/2 joint favourite along with the Tom Foley trained Whatdreamsrmadeof (opened 5/1 on-course).
Just as in the first two races punters again got it spot on as the two market leaders battled it out on the run to the last.
Treat Yourself, who had raced towards the rear, made headway approaching the third last and hit the front on the run to the last before keeping on well on the run-in to score by five lengths at the line.
The Roger Loughran ridden Whatdreamsrmadeof couldn't match the winner from before the last and had to settle for second while the Jimmy Lambe trained Daytime Dreamer ran on to take third a further four lengths back at 14/1.
Arthur Moore, who was recording his ninth winner of the season, said afterwards: "That's the first winner I have had for his owner Liam Breslin who is from Naas.
"He also has Boomshakalaka who was the favourite for the Grand National at one stage. I’m delighted for him as he is a very sporting man.
"This fellow will go over fences shortly but hopefully there will be another hurdle in him. Gareth is on a roll."
The winner had shown very litte on his six starts before today and was having his third start in handicap company this afternoon.
(Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes)
