Robbie Dolan and Lady Ranger© Photo Healy Racing
Robbie Dolan got Lady Ranger up on the line to win Division Two of the seven furlong handicap at Roscommon and give the jockey his first success.
Once the stalls opened, 3/1 favourite Sofi's Spirit was pushed up by Seamie Heffernan to soon lead.
Racing past the three pole and she still held the advantage as Dolan and Lady Ranger only had one behind them. Katies Joy came to join Sofi's Spirit at the two marker as Lady Ranger improved into mid-division. Dolan went for the whip and his charge began to stay on nicely a furlong and a half out. She got a split at the furlong pole and came to challenge Sofi's Spirit with 150 yards left.
The two horse were locked together close home with Lady Ranger getting the verdict by a nose. She was returned 13/2, having been 8/1 in the morning. Annie Irish at 40/1 took third.
Handler Adrian Keatley said: That was a change of luck. I don't know how many seconds I've had.
"She is what she is and the 10lb was a big help. She lost interest the last day when we dropped her out too far. That was only two days ago but we didn't mind running again as it took nothing out of her.
"We'll knock around for the summer with her and leave Robbie on. Hopefully she can get another one or two wins before the handicapper stops her.
"She just needs to come through horses. She was in front 50 yards after the line at Leopardstown as she got to pass a horse.
"In fairness she tries every day and we can't fault her effort."
On Dolan, 19-year-old from Kildare Town, Keatley added: "He's had four rides and was beaten a nose on his first ride so it's good for him to get off the mark.
"He's light which is a big help to him and has age on his side. We'll try and nurture him along for the rest of the summer and hopefully he'll start to get plenty of rides over the winter at Dundalk.
"Hopefully we'll make a jockey out of him."
The jockey's father has worked for Dermot Weld for 25 years and his grandfather and uncle were jockeys.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
