JUST as they were breathing a sigh of relief following the outcome of the stewards’ enquiry to the Matron Stakes, Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley had further cause for celebration as Real Appeal landed the Clipper Logistics Boomerang Mile.

The Zhang Yuesheng-owned four-year-old finished third in the Sovereign Path Handicap on this card last year on his first start at this track and his record from five runs at this track now stands at three wins and two third.

A horse who had previously looked as though he was at his best over seven furlongs, Real Appeal (14/1) lasted out the mile well in this competitive Group 2 affair.

Electric

When the trail-blazing Lunar Space fell back to the field in the straight, a host of horses had chances but nothing could match Real Appeal’s electric turn of foot which carried him to the front and a useful lead at the furlong pole.

The son of Sidestep needed the line late on as the English raider Fev Rover charged home on the outer, but he got to the post with half a length to spare and there was a neck back to another closer in Horoscope.

The winning rider picked up a further three-day careless riding ban after the stewards looked into an incident inside the last furlong in which the fifth-placed Maker Of Kings was hampered.

“It’s one of those days you dream of, it’s fantastic. Real Appeal won a handicap here earlier in the year and then came back and won a Group 3 and this has been the plan since then.

“Shane said he is 10lb better than he is anywhere else,” remarked the trainer.

Another Present

A tremendous day for Jessica Harrington and Foley concluded with Ever Present (17/2) producing a handicap tour de force to defy top weight in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Petingo Handicap.

A bumper winner at Punchestown last October and successful in two of his three flat starts coming into this race, Ever Present had to shoulder top weight and defy a mark of 100 over this extended mile and a half.

This Anamoine Limited-owned five-year-old had most of the field to pass on the approach to the straight but came with a tremendous flourish inside the last furlong and a half to nail the well-backed favourite Ciel D’Afrique late on for a half-length triumph.

“I’m thrilled for the horse and I think he could be a horse for the Ebor next year. That’s the plan for him,” reported the trainer.