Course-winning College Daisy made virtually all to land the Midland Breeders Supporting Kilbeggan European Breeders Fund Mares Hurdle and she battled gamely in the straight to see off Moonlight Sapphire by half a length.
This daughter of City Honours was bred by her owner, John Rogers, and she also has a Listowel win to her name. However a return there for the Festival next week will likely come around too soon.
Dessie Hughes said of his Ian McCarthy-ridden winner: "She keeps surprising us. Ian's five pound claim made the difference. She'll go for a handicap now, she is in a three miler at Listowel on Thursday but that'll come a bit quick and we'll wait. There will be plenty of other opportunities for her. She is small but she'll probably end up in a mares chase in the winter." Premier Victory the uneasy favourite, tracked the leader, but she dropped to third two out and she was soon struggling. The Johnny Cullen-ridden 6/5 shot ended up finishing fifth.
Her trainer, Tom Hogan said of his charge, who was returning off a 110 day break: "She gave a couple of lame steps when she came back in so I'm just hoping she'll be sound. I never ran her on ground that heavy and that probably didn't help her either."
