SIGNIFICANT rainfall in the 24 hours prior to racing resulted in soft to heavy ground, with the change in conditions owing to no less than 29 non-runners.

The biggest field of the evening lined-up for the feature Mallow Handicap, with Earls (28/1) getting the better of his 18 rivals in this €80,000 seven-furlong contest.

Recording his ninth career success, the likeable Gavin Cromwell-trained six-year-old came from off the pace under Dylan Browne McMonagle.

Ridden over a furlong out, he stayed on strongly in the closing stages and headed All Lies Ahead (7/2 favourite) inside the final 50 yards, with half-a-length the margin of victory.

“He has improved plenty from a couple of runs at the start of the season and was spot on today,” the winning rider said of the Martin Sheridan-owned bay.

“I thought they went very hard early and there was plenty of pace, so it was always going to play into our hands.”

Another outsider claimed the Follow Us On Instagram Handicap, with Purring Along coming in at odds of 33/1 under Nathan Crosse.

Visor fitted

On just her third start for Shane Duffy, the 40-rated Urban Poet four-year-old was fitted with a visor for the first time and came with her effort on the nearside with less than two furlongs to go.

The Michelle Shannon-owned bay then got to the front inside the final 200 yards and kept on well from there to see off Designer Cailin by half-a-length.

“Would you believe that wasn’t a surprise as she works really well at home,” Duffy disclosed.

“She has been tricky at times in her races, is a bit fussy and you have to keep her sweet, so we put the visor on today. We’ll look for something similar again.”

Breakthrough

Young Ireland also prevailed by half-a-length, as he deservedly made the breakthrough in the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

Trained by Jim Bolger and owned by his wife Jackie, the New Approach colt was third in the Beresford Stakes last season and was sent off a 5/2 chance here under Luke McAteer. Soon in front, he was joined early in the straight by Farnborough (7/4f) and after a protracted tussle, it was the second choice of punters who ultimately stayed on best.

“He has strengthened up a lot over the winter,” Ger Flynn, Bolger’s travelling head man, commented.

“He stays well and it is onwards and upwards from here. He is a gorgeous looking horse who we’ve always liked.”

ALICE Haynes made another successful raid on these shores, as her Fix You took listed honours in the Goffs EBF Polonia Stakes.

The up-and-coming Newmarket handler made an immediate impact with her first runner in Ireland last summer, when Lady Hollywood claimed the Listed Marwell Stakes at Naas.

Recording her third win on her fifth start, the progressive Fix You went off a well-backed 10/3 chance (14s early) under Seamie Heffernan for Amo Racing.

Sent to the front with over two furlongs to race, she kept on well when ridden in the closing stages, going on to score by a length and a half.

“I rang Alice and she gave me loads of confidence and said; ‘sit where you are comfortable and go’,” Heffernan revealed.

“It is nice to be in these colours, they have the right people picking and training the horses and Kia (Joorabchian) pays the bills so deserves luck.”

In-form yard

Heffernan had to settle for second aboard Roaming Star in the opening Cork Maiden, with Two Stars taking this six-furlong contest for the in-form yard of Fozzy Stack.

Always towards the head of affairs under Mark Enright, the Starspangledbanner gelding fought off the effort of the runner-up inside the final furlong, asserting close home to prevail by a length-and-a-quarter.

Sent off an-easy-to-back 9/1 chance (from 5s), the winner is owned in partnership by sisters-in-law Marie and Anne Gaffney, along with Liam Butler.

Registering his sixth win of the campaign, Stack stated: “He was a bit unlucky the last day when he fell out of the gates.

“He will go on better ground but won’t get a yard beyond six furlongs and might end up being better over five. He will develop into a nice sprinter in time.”

ON what was possibly her final start, the in-foal Persian Queen landed a gamble in the Racing Again Tomorrow Apprentice Handicap.

Getting in as second reserve and turned out quickly after finishing a respectable eighth in listed company at Gowran on Wednesday, the Joanna Morgan-trained six-year-old was available at 40/1 in early shows.

However, her price tumbled throughout the afternoon, partly due to the six non-runners, and she eventually went off the clear 5/4 favourite under talented young apprentice Conor Stone-Walsh.

Sent straight to the front, she made all and kept on well when ridden, coming home three and a quarter-lengths to the good in the colours of Morgan’s mother Margaret.

“The handicapper put her up 7lb for Gowran so she was well-in, but I wasn’t anxious to run until I saw the ground was soft to heavy,” the winning trainer remarked.

“I knew if she got in, she’d take beating and I couldn’t believe she was 40/1, so we had a good bet on.

“She is in-foal to Kuroshio and I won’t run her on quicker ground so she mightn’t run again.”

• On the mark

Stone-Walsh is under the tutelage of Joseph O’Brien and the Carriganóg handler was on the mark with debutante Bated Moon in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden.

A €14,000 yearling and easy to back in the market (returned 11/2 from 9/4 early), the Brosnan Racing owned filly was never far from the pace under Declan McDonogh.

In a share of the lead and ridden from the furlong pole, she edged to the front in the closing stages, getting the better of fellow newcomer Launch by half-a-length.

“She did it well and has been doing everything well at home.

“Above all, she has a great temperament and all she can do is improve,” Brendan Powell, O’Brien’s assistant, reported.