Curling's Lodge proves Queen at Downpatrick The Sam Curling trained Queenofthelodge finally got her turn when staying on best to win the Download the Tote App Mares Handicap Hurdle at Downpatrick. Runner-up on her last three starts, the daughter of Soldier Of Fortune went one place better under Phillip Enright, when holding off Billie Frechette in a tight finish. Always prominent, the five-year-old chased leader Fire Coral until after three out. Pushed along to lead at the penultimate flight, the 4/1 chance held a slender lead jumping the last. Ridden early in the straight, she faced a strong challenge from the aforementioned Billie Frechette but showed plenty determination in holding that rival by three-quarters-of-a-length. Phillip Enright said: "The last 50 yards I was thinking she was after losing her chance! "We went a good gallop and probably got racing a little bit early, but I knew she'd stay well. "I was anxious to try and get on the rail coming up the hill and, in fairness, she put her head down and battled well. "It was her first run back of the season, so I thought she'd improve a little bit from that. "She has just been a bit unlucky, she hasn't been beaten all that far the days she has been beaten. It is great that she got her day. "When you are second all the time, you can get disheartened but, in fairness, they are a great bunch of lads and they enjoy it. "Sam has been very good to me, I ride out a good bit there in the winter for the point-to-point season. He repays me by letting me ride the horses, it is great to repay him. "I think so (win again) and she will jump a fence." Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
