Apprentice jockey Mary Williamson struck another blow in the battle of the sexes when guiding the favourite Adari to a narrow success in the Mullinam Handicap at Fairyhouse yesterday.

Successful on the same horse at Tralee last month, Williamson had top jockeys Kevin Manning, Pat Shanahan and Mick Kinane directly behind her as Adari led from half way to hold Dochas Mor by a neck.

"I have two girls in Mary and Cathy Gannon that ride very well and if they were lads, the phone would be hopping and they would be getting rides every day of the week. But that seems to be the way of the world," said Adari's trainer John Oxx.

"I was getting a bit anxious waiting for the horse to get a smack but Mary said he was hanging and she did the right thing in holding him together. She rode an excellent race and she can judge speed too," Oxx added.

Another Cork-born Williamson, although not related, was on the mark also when Norman Williamson took the Batterstown Handicap Hurdle on Star To The North to complete a double for trainer Pat Hughes.

Star To The North was favourite but earlier Bregogue was an easy in the market winner of the maiden hurdle for Hughes. "We've now had 15 winners this jumps season and 14 on the flat," said Hughes.

Silverware though was an expensive failure for the Hughes camp in the opening juvenile hurdle as the evens favourite couldn't cope with Eagle Legal who was breaking a run of three successive second placings.

La Tache, who had been reluctant to go to the start of this race, fell at the first, leaving rider Maurice Byrne unconscious on the ground. Byrne regained consciousness in Blanchardstown hospital and is in a stable condition in intensive care.

"It's a serious concussion but the X-rays are OK," said the Turf Club medical officer Dr Walter Halley.