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Cromwell's debutante lands a thriller

Me Wee Bonnie Lass (black and yellow) pips Bayonetta Me Wee Bonnie Lass (black and yellow) pips Bayonetta
© Photo Healy Racing

The ITBA Mares Maiden Hurdle produced a humdinger of a finish with four runners in with every chance inside the final furlong before 11/2 newcomer Me Wee Bonnie Lass pounced late to claim the spoils.

Pushed along in fifth by Sean Flanagan after jumping the last, the daughter of Doyen stayed on well and squeezed through between rivals in the closing stages to claim victory by a head from Bayonetta

The winning four-year-old is trained by Gavin Cromwell for Mark Coleman.

Flanagan said: "I've sat on her a couple of times at home and she is very, very honest and genuine. Jumping was obviously key to her.

"She is still quite green there. They have gone a nice enough gallop and I was kind of happy with where I was, I wasn't going to go wide off the bend and just hoped for a bit of luck and I got it.

"She obviously is a strong stayer and they have gone quick enough. When she met the rising ground, she was only getting into stride.

"If the gap didn't open up, I was a very unlucky loser and, it did, and I'm a lucky winner.

"It is nice, safe, good ground."

Quotes from Michael Graham

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.