Lady Heath and Timmy Love© Photo Healy Racing
A Down Royal card that began with a 100/1 winner concluded with a 66/1 shock as Lady Heath impressed on debut in the concluding Molson Coors INH Flat Race.
A grandson of trainer Dot Love, Timmy Love rode his first track winner here on the Tom Bruton owned and bred Lady Heath, trained at Rahinstown in County Meath by Lorna Fowler.
Odds-on favourite Hamundarson (5th) and Lifetime Ambition (13/2 into 7/2, finished 4th) didn’t come up to market expectations as Lady Heath proved out on her own.
The successful daughter of Califet, a half-sister to useful stayer Horendus Hullabaloo, raced in mid-division early.
She was closer in sixth halfway, improving to dispute the lead three furlongs out.
Leading two furlongs out, the five-year-old was ridden clear over a furlong out, eased close home and still having six lengths in hand over second placer On Eagles Wings
"I tell you what there are good surprises and bad surprises and this is a very good surprise!" said Mrs Fowler.
"This was a hot race and I declared her when it was yielding to soft and I thought 'oh no, it's gone soft' but we have gone this far, so I let her take her chance.
"I said to the jockey to ride her to finish the race and if you finish in mid-division that's a great result.
"She has got the most phenomenal attitude and she loves her work. She does everything so easy but I was not expecting that and I am delighted.
"She is such a good filly at home and just loves to get down to work.
"It's a sign that the horses are in good form. I haven't had a runner for a good while and hopefully the others might run okay. She's a bit of a gauge for me.
"John, my late father-in-law, trained the dam and Tom (Bruton, owner) bred her.
"Today was meant to be a nice, educational run. She had to start somewhere but we said we would take our chance and see where we go.
"The phone can buzz away - it is totally up to Tom. I'm hoping we will have a bit of fun with her."
Four different Fowlers have trained winners for owner Tom Bruton over approximately 45 years - Brigadier Fowler, John Fowler, Titch Fowler and Lorna Fowler.
(MG & EM)
