'She's been a great servant' - Minx Tiara makes all as she continues to finish her career in style
Minx Tiara is finishing off her racing career with a bang as she made it back-to-back wins after never seeing another rival under Sean Flanagan in the 2m handicap hurdle for trainer David O'Brien.
The nine-year-old has been a tremendous flagbearer for the Kilkenny yard in recent years and got back to winning ways in Listed company at Killarney last month. She went up 3lb in the handicap for that success but defied the rise in authoritative style under typical front-running tactics and had a length and a quarter to spare over Senecia at odds of 7-1.
Her last two successes have come while she has been in foal to Hurricane Lane and connections are considering rolling the dice one last time at Galway next month before they retire the gutsy mare.
O'Brien said: "She is maturing with age and being in foal seems to have got her to finish out her races better. She was always a great mare but just wasn't able to finish out her races.
"The handicapper was fair to her after she won the last day and there is a race for her in Galway. She is in such good form that she might run in that and that will be her last race.
"She has been a great servant for our small yard and has taken us to places we only dreamed of – she finished second in Leopardstown and has run against the big boys. To have a winner in Killarney and here is fantastic and she is owned by a great bunch of lads."
Child's play for Easy Game
The Willie Mullins-trained Easy Game is nothing if not prolific and he notched his 19th career win when he landed the 2m3f John J Galvin Chase for the third year running under Paul Townend.
The rider had a tough decision over whether to partner Easy Game or Saint Sam but his faith in the reliable ten-year-old was richly rewarded when he picked up to lead two out and beat his stablemate by five lengths to justify 5-2 favouritism.
"I didn't see much between the two horses," Townend said. "Both were working nicely and while Easy Game was rated 5lb inferior, it was hard to leave him behind, around here especially. He's been running consistently to his mark for some time now.
"He's a joy to have around the place, is sound, turns up every day and also earned Willie valuable prize-money at Sandown the last day he ran."
Feud bolts in
Feud looked a smart recruit when he bolted up in the 2m maiden hurdle under Danny Mullins for trainer Richard O'Brien.
The son of Dubawi, a half-brother to Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Fallen Angel, was having his second start for O'Brien having finished last of 16 in a Flat handicap at Navan last month. However, he proved a different proposition over hurdles, running out an impressive six-and-a-half-length winner.
O'Brien said: "Hurdling could be his job and he was quite impressive. You just hope that when you set them at hurdling at they enjoy it, although Danny said he was quite awkward at several jumps and lost an iron at one stage, so if he brushes that up we have a load to look forward to. I think he is entitled to go to Galway."
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