Heather brings up first double for rising star Burns Heather (11/4) completed a first double for rising star of the weighroom Nicola Burns, as she just prevailed in the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap. A sister to 2018 Irish Derby winner Latrobe, the Ger Lyons-trained victor was successful at Dundalk in February and was last seen finishing second at Naas. Starting off in handicap company this evening, the 83-rated bay tracked the leaders and was switched off the inner to challenge in third entering the straight. Slightly bumping Elana Osario (5/2f) in the process, she surged to the front inside the final 200 yards and ultimately prevailed by just a head. The market leader had to settle for the runner-up berth under Billy Lee for Paddy Twomey, while No Niki No (40/1), who was second in this race 12-months ago, was another four-and-a-half lengths back in third. "We are absolutely chuffed for Nicola, who is in with us every day and rings me first thing every morning to open the gate," Shane Lyons revealed. "She is up in the office with Ger, goes through everything and is going to learn very quickly. "She is very polite and is everything you want in a kid going places. Hopefully she will have plenty more success." He then added: "We are very grateful to Catherine Magnier, her owner, for not putting any pressure on us to run the filly as we were worried about the change in going. "She wants good or better ground and what she has is loads of heart. She will get further and to get blacktype would be great." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
