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Lalor back in winners' enclosure on Lonicera

Liz Lalor is congratulated by her father DickLiz Lalor is congratulated by her father Dick
© Photo Healy Racing

Carrigeen Lonicera galloped her rivals into submission with a convincing win in the concluding bumpers for the Lalors.

Liz Lalor was in front in the early stages on the well backed 9/2 shot (8/1 in morning) but was headed by Marley Exit before halfway.

Dick Lalor's charge was back in the lead with over half a mile to run and skipped clear of the field turning for home.

She stayed on well in the closing stages and had two-and-three-quarter lengths to spare over 11/4 joint favourite Kymin's Way who kept on inside the final furlong.

The other market leader was the easy-to-back Beluckyagain (11/10 in morning) who never threatened in fourth.

The winner had shaped with promise when chasing home Summer Star at Limerick last March having landed a point-to-point the previous month.

It was a first winner for Liz Lalor since her return from injuries sustained in a fall at County Limerick point-to-point last May.

She had suffered head and neck injuries then as well as concussion which had ruled her out for seven months.

It was her second bad fall in recent years having fractured her C1 vertebrae at Boulta point-to-point in November 2011 which put her out of action for two months.

“I'm delighted to get a winner. It's great to be back after the injury problems,” said the winning rider.

Her father Dick added of the winner:- “We think a bit of her and she'll make a nice staying chaser in time.

“She took a while to learn her trade and I suppose she just needed time really.”

(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)

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.