Strandfield Lady beats Hes Our Music at Ballinrobe© Photo Healy Racing
< Strandfield Lady ended a drought that stretched back more than a year by outclassing her rivals in the 3,000 Euros Tote Jackpot Guarantee Rated Race at Ballinrobe.
Harry Rogers' evergreen mare has shown a return to form of late and finished on the heels of the placegetters in a valuable handicap at Leopardstown last week.
Sent off at 5-4 here, she followed favourite Hes Our Music through on the inside when he took the lead at the top of the straight and then found more gears when asked by Connor King to cross the line with three-quarters of a length in hand.< Cullentry Royal (5-2) got the better of a tussle with Storm Away in the 540 Euros Average Tote Placepot Dividend Maiden.
Gordon Elliott's gelding was ahead of his rival when second at Leopardstown, and has since occupied the same position at that venue, but he was all out to make ground on Storm Away when she kicked approaching the furlong marker.
As stamina came into play, he wore her down, though, and had half a length to spare at the line.< Sian broke through at the 12th attempt with a determined display in the Bet 10 Euros Get 10 Euros At thetote.com Apprentice Handicap.
Leigh Roche rode a positive race on the 7-1 shot but left enough in reserve to find more when challenged by Crouching Harry and Sian kept going to score by two and a quarter lengths.
The application of a visor did the trick as Train Of Thought (11-4) saw off some younger upstarts in the Tote Win 24% Better Than Bookmakers SP Maiden.
Dermot Weld's five-year-old has never tasted success in eight previous Flat starts but raced enthusiastically at the head of affairs and ran seven and a half lengths away from Pastiches while Only Exception (7-1) struck at the first time of asking over obstacles in the Bet Online At thetote.com Mares Maiden Hurdle.
