Sea Aster clears the last under Jack Kennedy© Photo Healy Racing
Gordon Elliott has been in dominant form at the Tramore August Festival and notched his fifth winner in the space of two days when Sea Aster claimed the Celebrating The Life Of Mary Hearn Mares Maiden Hurdle.
The Cullentra handler was completing a treble on the card along with stable jockey Jack Kennedy. The pair were earlier successful in the opener courtesy of Salvador Ziggy (4/7f) and in the second through C'est Quelqu'un (11/8f).
Also returned favourite at 2/1 (from 4s), Sea Aster was always towards the head of affairs in the colours of the Around The Fire Syndicate.
Pushed along to lead before the second last, she needed to be ridden out on the run-in to hold off the late surge of Iriskana by half-a-length.
The runner-up was returned at 6/1 (25s early) under Cian Quirke for Sam Curling, while the easy-to-back Coastguard Lady (returned 9/4 from 6/5) faded tamely from before two out and finished another 15 lengths back in third.
"It has been a great day and Jack is riding out of his skin," Elliott commented.
"The owners are local to me at home, they are from Rathcore in Enfield, so they are all Na Fianna men. They are the opposition for me as I'm Summerhill. It's a great win for them and I'm delighted.
"The race suited her and she will keep going now, she might be one for England."
By Yeats, the winner is sister to stable companions, Fruit Blossom and Country Queen.
