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Gambling claims amateur contest in style

Gambling Girl goes on from Sierra SunGambling Girl goes on from Sierra Sun
© Photo Healy Racing

Gambling Girl powered clear in the closing stages to run out a convincing winner of the Audrey McGrath Memorial Race at Wexford.

Kate Harrington sent the 2/1 favourite into the lead turning for home in the 1m7f amateur race and she was soon in control.

The Jessica Harrington-trained mare pulled clear of her rivals inside the final furlong to post a six-and-a-half length winning margin over Sierra Sun

The winner had finished mid-division in a competitive handicap hurdle at Galway last time having run well to finish third on the level at Killarney on her previous outing.

"The run in Killarney put her right. Things didn't go right for her at Galway, she just got too far out of the race," said the winning trainer.

"That was great, it was lovely to get her back in the winners enclosure. She will go now for a beginners chase in Listowel and she'll head on during the winter.

"Katie thinks she has got stronger so hopefully she will handle the winter ground. She got a injury last summer and it took a year to get her back. Touch wood she stays sound now. Maybe the time off has done her the world of good.

"She was due to run in Killarney over fences but I took her out because I thought the ground was too firm. She has schooled very well over fences and I'm really happy with her."

(Additional reporting by Donal Murphy)

About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.