Tough Livia Galilei put her head down and battled to fend off Amira’s Prince by a nose in the latter stages of the McEnery Cup at Gowran Park over a mile and a half.

Jim Bolger’s filly was always prominent, but Amira’s Prince looked a big danger in the final furlong. However, Kevin Manning got more from her to land the cup for the Coolcullen based trainer for the second year in-a-row.

“We have a habit of winning this race. We won it last year with Priomhbhean and I just brought back the cup this morning!” Ger Flynn, travelling head lad to Jim Bolger, said.

“I said hopefully we’ll be bringing it home again. She’s a tough mare and tries her heart out all the way to the line.

“She is gutsy and doesn’t like getting beaten. I’m delighted for her owner Kevin Molloy. He has the mare at home.”

This was Bolger’s fifth win of the McEnery Cup in 11 years and gave him a double at Gowran Park today.

There was a market move for Chicago ridden by Joseph O’Brien and trained by his father. He was supported from 5/1 to 7/2 favourite on course.

The son of Montjeu was dropped out in rear some five lengths adrift of the field early on. He travelled well into contention a furlong out, but found little when asked for more and came in fourth behind All That Rules

(on course reporting by Donal Murphy)