Versilia Gal holds off Bainne at Sligo© Photo Healy Racing
It was easy to see where Pat Martin's "she’s tough" comment came from after his Versilia Gal landed the countysligoraces.com Fillies Handicap at Sligo with Conor Hoban in the plate.
Favourite, Bainne looked sure to follow up her Cork win from Sunday when delivering her challenge in the straight.
Try as Joe Doyle might, he couldn't get his mount to go by Versilia Gal who kept at it in dogged fashion to triumph by half a length.
Pat Martin commented: "She ran very well at Naas (9th behind Gathering Power in the middle of last month). She can race a bit free and my worry was the inside draw but as it turned out she was lovely and relaxed.
"She's tough and she loves a dig in the ground.
"She went on fast ground as a two-year-old but it's not for her anymore and she'll go for more of the same now." (TW & EM)
