Hot-pot Estephe rallies for narrow win

JOHNNY Murtagh made his trip to Roscommon worthwhile last night when partnering hot-pot Estephe to victory in the Ballygar Maiden.

But punters who backed the Tommy Stack-trained filly down to 4/9 favouritism had to seat it out before Murtagh forced the filly’s head in front close home to beat the flattering Livaleo by a head.

Murtagh eased the favourite into the lead before the home-turn and, with two furlongs to race, Estephe looked an assured winner. But Pat Smullen brought the Joanna Morgan-trained Livaleo from well off the pace and swept past the favourite as they approached the furlong-pole. Favourite backers looked sure to lose their cash, until Murtagh rallied the favourite to get up again close home. Estephe is a daughter of Sadler’s Wells out of Tommy Stack’s 1998 Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Tarascon.