Dalkova is ridden out by Niall McCullagh in the closing stages© Photo Healy Racing
After winning the previous contest with Derulo Johnny Murtagh and owner Andrew Tinkler completed a quick 34/1 double as Dalkova made all to take the OnePlace IT Supporting Naas Hurling Handicap in first time cheekpieces.
This five-year-old daughter of Galileo won her maiden at Ascot in July of 2012 when trained by Richard Hannon, and while she ran well to finish second on her seasonal debut at Gowran in April she subsequently disappointed on her next two outings at Navan and the Curragh.
Facing just five rivals here she was sent off a well-backed 4/1 chance having opened at 6’s on-course.
Drawn on the rail in stall one she broke smartly under Niall McCullagh and soon led.
She was ridden and pressed from over two furlongs out but none of her rivals could get passed as she kept on strongly from the furlong pole to score easily by four and three parts of a length. Barack came through to take second at 5/1 under Leigh Roche for Willie McCreery while the 15/8 favourite The Ring Is King finished a disappointing last under Joseph O’Brien for Paul Flynn.
Johnny Murtagh said afterwards: "She's always promised. We thought the hood was a great thing for her and she ran a great race first time with it but then it maybe put her to sleep a bit.
"The last couple of times she's been disappointing and Niall (McCullagh) said she wouldn't have won at any trip the last day.
"In her work at home she shows pace so we decided to drop her in trip and try the cheek-pieces for something different. It worked today.
"She deserved to win and being by Galileo she's a valuable filly.
"That's my first double as a trainer so I'm very, very happy."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
