Nice Vintage (right) beats Uno Voce© Photo Healy Racing
Nice Vintage powered home inside the final furlong to prove best in the Ladies Evening At Clonmel May 21st Handicap.
Recent Sligo winner Qatea was sent to post a 4/7 shot for the ten furlong contest, aiming to defy a 5lb penalty for her cosy success.
All looked to be going to plan as she moved up to tackle front-runner Uno Voce two furlongs from home. That rival battled back, however, and the hotpot looked held at the furlong pole.
Nice Vintage was getting going then, under a strong drive from Chris Hayes, and hit the front inside the final furlong.
The Adrian Keatley trained filly kept on well in the closing stages to score by three-lengths from the long-time leader.
The winner had been sixth on her return to action at Limerick just under two weeks ago.
"Soft ground and a track like that suited her and hopefully she can with another one or two," said Keatley.
"She was a cheap buy and cost just 1,500 quid. She is good to pop and will eventually go down the hurdling route."
Keatley was in Chester yesterday but his juvenile raider An Duine Uasal finished last of nine.
"That win makes up for a disappointing day yesterday. She was three deep and raced with the choke out - everything went wrong."
(Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes)
