Lagostovegas leads home Shinghari© Photo Healy Racing
Willie Mullins completed a double on the level at Killarney this evening, with Lagostovegas taking the MC Group Handicap, following on from the win of She's So Flawless in the second.
A three time winner for Harry Kelly, the daughter of Footstepsinthesand disappointingly pulled up on her debut for Mullins in a handicap hurdle over the course and distance in May.
Ruby Walsh was aboard the five-year-old on that occasion, and he later reported to the Stewards that his mount jumped poorly and clipped heels in running.
Back on the Flat this evening, she was available at 9/4 last night, but went off the clear 11/8 favourite with Pat Smullen in the saddle.
Settled behind the leaders, she took closer order down the back straight and cruised to the front with four furlongs left to race.
She was pushed along to extend her advantage from over a furlong out, keeping on well from there to score by four and a quarter lengths. Shinghari (8/1) ran well to finish second for trainer/rider Denis Hogan, while Water Sprite (11/1) was another nine and a half lengths away in third for Sean Davis and Gordon Elliott.
Ruby Walsh, representing the winning trainer, said afterwards: "She was disappointing the last day but did it well tonight. She ran no race the last day but at least left that run behind her and she's a grand mare.
"The rain did her no harm and she had been running through the winter as a hurdler and probably liked the ease in the ground; she also had winning course form."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
