There was a result for the fairer sex in the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Hatton's Grace Hurdle as Voler La Vedette impressively left her three rivals toiling in her wake to complete a huge weekend for her rider Andrew Lynch.
Of course Lynch was aboard the Champion Chaser Sizing Europe when he cemented his position at the top of the two mile chasing tree in yesterday's Tingle Creek at Sandown.
Here he got a tremendous tune out of Voler La Vedette up the straight to leave Mourad The Real Article and Final Approach three and three parts of a length, a head and seven lengths behind.
The victorious daughter of King's Theatre takes her hurdles with tremendous accuracy and, after another superb leap when clear at the last, kept on well to seal victory in front of 5,103 racegoers.
Winning trainer Colm Murphy won this contest in 2006 with Brave Inca and he trains Voler La Vedette for Margaret Brophy from County Kilkenny.
The Wexford handler said: "I'm thrilled to bits and she deserved a Grade 1 as she's been knocking on the door.
"She's a different mare this year, physically she's way better and she's easier to train. I have to give credit to everyone at home. She had a lot of little muscle problems and they put so much work into her.
"She is in a couple of races at Christmas and we'll see where she goes. I had an idea to run her in the Tara Hurdle but she'd have a Grade 1 penalty in that now. At Christmas she'll be entered in the two and three mile races and it'll depend on the ground.
"If it was soft to heavy she'd go in the two mile race. I don't think the ground or trip makes any difference to her. She settled like a lamb today and Andrew knows her very well.
"She was covered in the spring and thank God she didn't take. I guess she'll be going back to Presenting again next year."
Boylesports go 8/1 from 12/1 Voler La Vedette for the Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Voler La Vedette is 6/1 from 12/1 for the same race with Stan James. (GC & EM)
