News

Dublin Lass Shines Bright In Starlight Stakes

28th Nov 2015

Thoroughbred News - Dane Squance - Saturday, 28 November 2015

A narrow long neck second during the Flemington carnival when first up in the Group 3 G.H. Mumm Stakes (1100m) on a Heavy 9 rated track, five-year-old O’Reilly mare Dublin Lass appreciated the return to firmer footing to take out the $100,000 listed The HQ Of Insurance Starlight Stakes (1100m) on Saturday at Rosehill.

From the inside gate, jockey Kerrin McEvoy jumped the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained mare out well before noted speedster Freeze The Charges (Ad Valorem) cleared out to lead by many lengths, ensuring the tempo was solid throughout.

Still three lengths clear as the field headed past the 300m mark, Dublin Lass was asked for effort, while her stablemate, the logical danger on paper and top weight That’s A Good Idea (Flying Spur) (60kg) was starting to show signs that it wasn’t to be his day.

As McEvoy drew the whip at the 200m mark, Dublin Lass chased down the race leader to take the win, her second at Listed level and seventh win overall from 17 starts.

Dublin Lass scored by a half-length margin from Freeze The Charges in a time of 1:03.73, while working home for third in the race was Group 2 Caulfield Sprint winner Howmuchdoyouloveme (Written Tycoon).

Last Saturday’s Rosehill winner Fiftyshadesofgrey (Written Tycoon) came home along the rail to take fourth, while the disappointment of the race was second favourite That’s A Good Idea (NSW TAB $3.40) who weakened to finish in sixth.

Peter Snowden was impressed by the win, indicating that he feels there is more in store for the mare in the coming weeks.

“She’s in good form, and mares who are in good form are pretty hard to beat,” said Snowden.

“There are races for her every two weeks now for the next six weeks so there are plenty of options for her, and I won’t be surprised if she wins another couple of races like today.”

Bred by Paul Whelan’s Luskin Park Stud, Dublin Lass was sold as a yearling at Inglis Easter before being raced by a group that includes Whelan and Aston Bloodstock’s Wilf Mula.

Snowden thanked the connections post-race at the opportunity to train a quality mare like Dublin Lass.

“I’m really pleased to be given a horse of this calibre.”

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy felt the mare always had the race in her keeping.

“She was a nicely performed mare coming into today’s race. Obviously she was prepared well and it looked her race on paper and she was able to go out and do it, said McEvoy.

“She was strong to the line, she got there and pricked her ears and she’s done it quite cosily the last bit.”

Paying $2.60 on both the NSW TAB and with fixed odds, the victory of Dublin Lass was the first by a mare in the race since the Gerald Ryan-trained Mrs Onassis (General Nediym) in 2012, who went on to claim the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate a handful of starts later.