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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Lottie Dod gets her head just in front

Fri 14th Mar 2014, 18:45

Lottie Dod, red cap, wins a bunch finish to the opener in DundalkLottie Dod, red cap, wins a bunch finish to the opener in Dundalk
© Photo Healy Racing

The handicapper earned himself a pat on the back as five horses flashed past the post in a bunch finish to the six furlong handicap at Dundalk that was won by Lottie Dod Grey Danube broke well and was bustled into the lead by Kevin Manning. The five-year-old gelding, trained by Darren Bunyan, attracted plenty of money throughout the day but was a market drifter from 7/2 to 9/2.

He opened up a clear lead in the home straight, however, a wall of horses in behind started to get interested approaching the furlong pole.

As Grey Danube was reeled in, Charles O’Brien’s Lottie Dod (5/1) stuck out her head determinedly to score by a neck from Harry Trotter (4/1) with a head back to 7/1 Fleet Captain in third.

Winning jockey Fran Berry said: “Charles said she’s in a lot better form than last year. She’s a lot more relaxed. She used to get very worked up in the preliminaries, but she behaved today.

“I thought I’d win two furlongs out, but she probably hit a flat spot. Whenever horses came round her she was game and battled on.

“It’s great to get brackets with her as she’s well bred and Group 1 placed [third in the Phoenix Stakes in August 2012].”

Lottie Dod holds an entry in the Group 3 Gladness Stakes at the Curragh in April. The four-year-old filly was coming off a break of 261 days. This was her first win on her ninth start.

Harry Trotter, who was narrowly foiled, was a steamer in the market from 12s to 8s before racing and then 8/1 to 4/1 in the ring. She’s Not Simple was left at the start as she stayed in the stalls.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.