The Sheila Lavery-trained Steps In The Sand proved too strong for short priced favourite No Trouble in the closing stages of the claimer at Dundalk.

Wayne Lordan produced the Footstepsinthesand filly to lead over a furlong out in the mile-and-a-half contest and the 14/1 shot knuckled down well in the closing stages to secure her first win.

Even-money shot No Trouble had to wait for a gap in the straight but had every chance a furlong from home as he tackled Steps In The Sand.

The three-year-old filly stayed on well to the line, holding her rival for a three-parts-of-a-length success.

Lavery said: "Maybe she has run one bad race. She has never had luck - if you look back, she has been stopped, turned over and been really unlucky. She well deserved that.

"I'm delighted for the syndicate because I know they were getting a bit despondent. I've never seen a horse with such bad luck and then I saw the draw, 11!

"Wayne just said she didn't jump that great and wasn't really travelling so he took his medicine, went up the inside, bided his time and the more she went the better she started to go.

“Then he had to take a pull down the far bend when it got tight. I'm delighted how she finished out. 

"I'd say she will be claimed now and I think they are fine with that. Hopefully they will go again with a two-year-old. Job done."

The winner was claimed by Rachel O'Neill to be trained by Shark Hanlon.

Sheila, who finished ninth, was claimed by ian Thompson to be trained by Jack Davison.

(Quotes by Michael Graham)