Moja Dama shows battling qualities to land Downpatrick finale Sent off 15/8f, the Willie Mullins trained Moja Dama had to work hard in order to register a first career win in the concluding J Murdoch Contracts INH Flat Race at Downpatrick. Third on her introduction at Kilbeggan last month, the daughter of Motivator was sent off market leader to step up on that effort here. Making most of the running under Patrick Mullins, the four-year-old was strongly pressed by Bells Grove on the uphill finish. While the John McConnell trained gelding drew alongside over 150 yards out, Moja Dama rallied gamely close home to score by a neck. Patrick Mullins said: "We went to Plan B very quickly! "We jumped off to go very slow and she just took me to the front, but she settled in front. She had a few breathers and I was able to keep taking back until the home bend, and she was very tough because she got headed and got back up. "She ran a bit keen with me (in Kilbeggan) and we got racing too early. She does carry her head high - she is Motivator/Montjeu, she wears the hood. I think when things are right for her, she does try and she showed it there today. "Just walking the track, I thought there was a bit of a soft spot kind of halfway up the home straight in the middle of the track, so I thought it was worth coming out to the outside rail to get to it - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't." Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
