Getaway Queen (far side) & General Moriviere jump the last together © Photo Healy Racing
A slow early pace resulted in a rather bunched finish to the Flood Ironworks Handicap Hurdle, with Getaway Queen coming out on top under Shane Fitzgerald.
A winner over the course and distance in April, the Ken Budds trained seven-year-old since won at Dundalk, finishing second on her most recent outing which was again at the Co Louth venue.
Sent off a 9/2 chance in the colours of owner Mark Landers, the daughter of Getaway was settled in mid-division and improved into third upon entering the straight.
In a share of the lead before the final flight, she found more under pressure on the run-in, getting the better of General Moriviere by a head at the line.
The runner-up was returned a 5/2 joint-favourite under Mark Walsh, while Time And Times (8/1) was another two-and-a-half lengths back in third. Gendarme was the other joint-favourite after coming in for plenty of market support (available at 14/1 in early shows).
In last approaching two out, he made some late progress to finish seventh under Kevin Brouder for Cathal Byrnes.
"She has won three times in Dundalk and seems to act on the surface up there. It's great that she can transfer that form to hurdles," Landers said in the aftermath.
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"Ken said from day one that she likes good ground and the ground has come right for her now, she won it well. She has won four on the flat and two over hurdles now. She is a tough little mare and is after winning twice in tight finishes.
"We are potentially looking at Galway for her. Ken has a race towards the end of the week over hurdles in mind for her. We will wait and see how she comes out of today.
"I just have her in training at the moment but I have a couple of younger horses and hopefully at some stage they will make it to the racecourse. Breeding is my main game and I have a couple of mares at home in Killeagh."
