Slowly into stride as he often is, Dare To Flare (10/1) came from well back to land the apprentice handicap.

He had just a couple of rivals behind him turning for home but Amy Jo Hayes kept him tight to the far rail all the way down the straight and the Dandy Man gelding had a clear run of things. Fifth at the furlong marker, he stayed on well to collar Brewel Hill in the final strides. A head was the winning margin. Knocknakilla and Lamprog filled the frame.

This was a sixth win for Dare To Flare who has been partnered to those victories by five different jockeys.

Winning trainer Andy Slattery said: “My two were drawn 18 and 19. I kind of knew Heather Bear had no chance out there but this lad breaks bad so I said it would make no difference to him,

“I thought an apprentice race would help him because they'd go too hard early. She got a golden highway up the inner.

“He probably wants a bit further, a strongly run mile-and-two or mile-and-three is probably his trip. I don't think he stays a mile-and-a-half as he can be a bit free early on.

“He's a good consistent horse, that's six races he has won now.”

Quotes from Gary Carson