Sizing Italy leads Steps To Freedom & Nearest The Pin over the second last© Photo Healy Racing
< Sizing Italy claimed the scalp of Steps To Freedom in the Irish Examiner Beginners Chase at Killarney.
Jessie Harrington's smart hurdler was sent off the 13-8 market leader to better his fencing debut second and went in pursuit of the winner when he took the lead off Nearest The Pin early in the straight.
But he couldn't find a change of gear, and Sizing Italy (13-2) kept going to register a two-and-a-quarter-length success on his first start for Henry de Bromhead.< Your Busy claimed the decent prize on offer in the Ashes Bar Glenbeigh Handicap Hurdle.
David Casey set out to make all the running on the James Nash-trained 16-1 chance, and he had kept enough in reserve when Dingaling threatened after the last to score by half a length.
The pick of the Flat action was the Irish Stallions Farms EBF Fillies Handicap, in which the Dermot Weld-trained Khothry (6-1) got up in the dying strides.
The hat-trick seeking Neophilia appeared set for victory when quickening clear approaching the two-furlong pole, but the petrol gauge began to run on empty in the final 100 yards and Khothry grabbed her on the line.
Major money throughout the day saw Royal Irish Hussar s price collapse to 5-4 and Aidan O'Brien's market leader duly left an ordinary debut performance behind with the benefit of cheekpieces, as he ran away with the Sika Signs Maiden in the hands of the trainer's son Joseph.
O'Brien jnr followed up on Capitol Hill (7-4 joint-favourite) in the John Buckley Auctioneers Handicap, but he had to be at his strongest to wear down the game High Hill Beauty
The complexion of the Ladbrokes Handicap Chase (Div 1) changed at the second-last when leader Pat Garrett took a crashing fall, leaving 7-1 shot Chrisdonlady to fend off Oscar Leney while the second division went the way of Ballylibert (9-1).
