Dahlia Noir finishes well for Ryan Dahlia Noir (3/1jf) wore down Lady Lilac to take the honours in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Fillies Maiden over the mile in Gowran. Lady Lilac made a bold bid for glory on the far side, but Dahlia Noir was always finding down the centre of the track. Gavin Ryan kept her rolling home and the pair got to grips with Lady Lilac in the closing stages to go on by half a length. Runner-up Lady Lilac was a 4/1 chance and was three lengths clear of Its All Peachy (16/5). Donnacha O’Brien said: “The way she’s rated she should be able to win something like that. She has loads of ability and probably holds a bit for herself. “She probably didn’t do a whole lot when she got to the front, but it’s nice to get a win with her and it should be good for her confidence. “She’s in the valuable auction race (Gowran Classic on June 2) which could be something to look at, but that’s over nine and a half furlongs and Gavin said it would be better to keep her to a mile.” This was Dahlia Noir's first time on heavy ground. She had a couple of placed efforts last season inclusing when runner-up on debut in a hot maiden at Leopardstown. Additional reporting by Alan Magee
