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Mark Nunan

Mark Nunan

Harrington filly easily lands maiden at Tramore

Sat 15th Aug 2020, 17:33

       Royal Free Hotel and Conor Hoban Royal Free Hotel and Conor Hoban
© Photo Healy Racing

Royal Free Hotel (4/1) was a wide margin winner of the opening Ashtown Stud Irish EBF (Fillies) Maiden.

The Mastercraftsman grey was always handy under Conor Hoban and when sent to the front over two furlongs out, she went right away to account for Lady Dahlia by an easy 11 lengths, with Merroir back in third.

The 85/40 favourite Elite Craft made the running but dropped away to finish seventh in the end.

The winner, unraced at two, had been placed on her previous couple of starts at Fairyhouse and Ballinrobe and was opening her account on her fourth career outing.

Kate Harrington, assistant to winning trainer Jessica Harrington, said: “I'm absolutely delighted with that and she is really improving with each run.

"She has been slow to learn but is going to be a lovely filly going forward.

"Even next year she will keep improving because she has a massive big frame and is only starting to fill it.

"We'll see where she goes now, we'll chat to the owners but she is going to be a lovely staying filly for next year."

Additional reporting by Donal Murphy

About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.