Love story as Fairyhouse join all the Dots!

You could make it up, but you wouldn't be believed.

The one about the trainer who retired and won the race named in her honour on the day she retired.

That would never happen, would it?

Yes it would and it did.

All thanks to a decision by Fairyhouse manager Peter Roe to have a ladies race on Sunday called the Happy Retirement Dot Love Ladies Handicap Hurdle.

Stating the obvious - don't you just love it when a plan comes together?

Dot Love handles a lot of pre-training of the Gigginstown horses in Westmeath, she is originally from Denmark.

Today marked the final chapter in her training career.

She will now take on the role of assistant to her long-time assistant Ciaran Murphy who will take over the training duties.

Returning to the venue of her greatest victory as a trainer was extra-special today - the Dot Love-trained Liberty Counsel won the 2013 Irish Grand National.

Prior to 2013, the last Irish Grand National winner trained by a woman was when Jenny Pitman's Mudahim won in 1997.

Today, there could not have been a better outcome to the Happy Retirement Dot Love Ladies Handicap Hurdle as the Mullingar handler won with her second last runner, Flindt to make it two winners in 24 hours after Betty Zane won at Cork yesterday.

Wexford woman Sarah Kavanagh was on board Flindt and had more than a length to spare at the post.

JUMPING THE LAST IN FRONT

Kavanagh partnered her first winner on St Patrick's Day last year in an opportunity handicap hurdle for Gavin Cromwell at Down Royal and was thrilled to win today's race as was the trainer.

“It's special for it to happen here and Peter Roe was very good to name the race after me, that was moving," commented Dot Love.

“It's a fairytale and Sarah gave him a wonderful ride," she added before heading off to the Stewards room.

A report was requested over the apparent improvement in form from the previous run by Flindt at Navan in November.

Whatever Dot said was acceptable and the official report was - having considered the report the Stewards noted the explanation.