My Girl Anna, right, prevails by a nose from Luisant at Navan© Photo Healy Racing
After 214 days without a winner Muredach Kelly’s My Girl Anna justified 9/2 favouritism and got her Galway-based handler off the cold list with a game victory in the five furlong handicap at Navan.
Jockey Rory Cleary, who snapped a losing run of 48, picked up the pace on the five-year-old mare a furlong out and fended off the staying on Luisant (7/1) and Colm O’Donoghue by a nose in a driving finish.
In what looked a very competitive sprint, the front two pulled four and a half lengths clear of third-placed Allegra Tak and Shane Foley at 25/1.
“She’s always knocking on the door. We decided to change tactics a bit today and held on to her for a while,” successful jockey Rory Cleary explained.
“She just held on in the finish but she deserved it.”
There were bits and pieces of money in the ring for Calm Bay (14/1 to 10/1) but he finished tenth after sitting fourth halfway. Copper Dock showed good speed on the rail under Karen Kenny to take the field along, however he weakened a furlong and a half out to come home ninth of the 15 runners.
Michael Graham
