Dobbs & Mangan combine for bumper win Jane Mangan won the Limerickraces.ie Online Booking Mares Ladies Flat Race for the third year in-a-row, as she partnered Romantic Fashion to victory for trainer Prunella Dobbs. After finishing just nine lengths third to Blackmail on her debut at Leopardstown in January, the bay filly was then beaten just a short head by Vic Dancer on her next start at Gowran in February. Having opened at 9/4 on-course, she drifted out to 3/1 favourite at the off, and she chased the leaders in the early stages. She was third at the halfway point, before moving into second four furlongs from home. Ridden two furlongs out, she stayed on to lead with a furlong left to race, keeping on well from there to score comfortably by three and a quarter lengths. Dream Beat (25/1), who hit the front four furlongs out, had no answer once headed by the winner, and she had to settle for second under Lisa O’Neill for John Joe Walsh, while Narcotic Nora was a further half a length back in third under Maxine O’Sullivan for Tony Martin at 14/1. Prunella Dobbs said afterwards: "She is a lovely mare. The owners (Mrs Kathryn Tottenham) have been very patient with her." The winner was purchased at Tattersalls in February of 2008 for just €5,000, and she is a full-sister to the Oliver Brady trained King Shabra who finished just two and a half lengths second to the classy Rule The World on his last start at Naas. Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
