Lady is Ultra competitive in nursery Favourite backers got off to a good start at Navan where Lady Ultra made most of the running to take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Nursery under Rory Cleary. Just three went to post in this near six-furlong event and Meebo looked to have her work cut out from 13lb out of the handicap. However the 10/1 outsider ran a fine race and put it up to the 4/5 favourite as Freedom Square weakened quickly over a furlong out. Cleary, who mounted the Dandy Man filly after she was put into the stalls, got down to some serious work a furlong out and she responded well to score by two and three quarter lengths. Chief market rival Freedom Square (5/4) proved a big disappointment on the testing ground and was eased to finish all of 18 lengths further back in third. Winning trainer Sheila Lavery said, “She’s a bit tricky in the stalls and gets a bit hot beforehand. But the minute the jockey gets up on her she lets out a big heave as if to say thank god. She is keen to get on with the race but is just difficult beforehand. “She’s finished for the year now. The ground was a worry but Joe Foley told me the Dandy Mans’ go on soft ground, and all her family handled soft. She should have no problem with a mile next year, and hopefully she will mature mentally and not prove as difficult.” Additional reporting by Gary Carson
