Missiee and Gary Noonan at the last© Photo Healy Racing
Missiee added to a win at Tramore on New Year’s Day when digging deep in testing conditions to land the Xenon Handicap Hurdle over 2m4f at Gowran Park.
That Tramore victory also came on heavy ground over a similar trip and the 12/1 chance was never too far off the pace under Gary Noonan.
The Eoin McCarthy-trained mare was strongly pressed by Huit Reflets at the final flight but she kept on really well on the run-in to beat that rival by half-a-length. Clonmoyle kept on well a further two and a quarter lengths back in third with 9/2 favourite Mise Raftaire another six lengths away in fourth.
Noonan said, “She’s an honest, tough mare. She enjoyed it the way it turned into a bit of a slog and a battle.
“She loves that ground and I couldn’t be happier with her.”
