Review wexford 23rd Aug

< Hikari put the opposition to the sword with an emphatic victory when she returned to action in the Follow Wexford Racecourse On Facebook Maiden at Wexford.

Dermot Weld's charge was sent off the 8-11 favourite having had the misfortune to bump into Alive Alive Oh on her debut at Cork in March, when she finished a good second.

Settled towards the rear by Pat Smullen, the three-year-old made steady progress throughout and took over from Al Fahidi inside the final quarter-mile before racing away from market rival Though to score by 15 lengths.

The Gorey (QR) Race looked a fine opportunity for Willie Mullins' Pique Sous to get back to winning form on more suitable ground after he was pulled up in the Galway Hurdle last time, but it didn't work out that way.

Patrick Mullins looked to have matters under control on the 4-7 favourite coming off the final bend, but the grey didn't find as much as expected when asked to challenge and Sarah O'Brien held him off by a head on her father Aidan's Marchese Marconi (5-2).

Jessie Harrington's evens favourite Magical Steps had to pull out the stops for Fran Berry to peg back long-time leader Surreal close home in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden and win by half a length.

The jockey doubled up on Martin Brassil's 7-1 shot Celestial Prospect who landed a third career victory, all of them at Wexford, when pouncing late to catch Fairy Court and take the Rosslare Handicap by two and three-quarter lengths.

John McConnell's Sheilas Wish (4-1) followed up a recent Cork victory by defying a 9lb hike in the ratings in the Visit The New www.wexfordraces.ie Handicap, collaring Something Graceful close home to score by half a length under Colin Keane.

Denis Cullen's Table Forty Six (13-2) ended a two-year drought when she was driven clear from an always prominent slot inside the final furlong by Ross Coakley to take the Wexford Apprentice Handicap by two lengths.