If ever a horse deserved to get his head in front it was Sretaw who won a driving finish to the Irish Cambridgeshire after six runner-up finishes in-a-row.

Wayne Lordan unleashed Gavin Cromwell’s charge inside the final furlong on the stands-side rail and the five-year-old mare found plenty to win by half a length at 11/1. Vastonea (16/1) and Hasanour (4/1f) fought a battle in the middle of the track and were narrowly beaten into second and third respectively. Maggie Dalton at 25/1 rewarded her each way backers in this competitive 21-runner premier handicap.

Owner Eamon Waters said: “We were very hopeful. She's been second six times in-a-row and deserved this. She's been running to her handicap mark all the time and kept going up, but in fairness to her she kept improving.

“I bred her and bought the mare for small money. It's nearly like a dream and I'm afraid I'll wake up. She's entered at Leopardstown on September 14, but it's up to Gavin where she goes.”

Gavin Cromwell said: “She has been second six times but I'd have swapped all of them for today. It was a very competitive handicap, but she came here in great form. She was a course and distance winner last year.

“She's improving the whole time but kept bumping into one. It was a great ride by Wayne.”

Sretaw won 60,000 euro for her efforts today.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson