Flashaway © Photo Healy Racing
Voler La Vedette's daughter Flashaway made a winning debut today, landing Gowran's concluding Ronan Lawlor Memorial Irish EBF Mares Bumper on a sentimental day for winning jockey Patrick Mullins.
The race is run in memory of the rider's childhood friend Ronan Lawlor, who was killed in a 2010 riding accident, with today's success being Mullins' first in the race since 2016 and comes the week of his grandmother Maureen Mullins' passing.
Pace-setting Flashaway (2/5f) was headed two furlongs out but showed some of her dam's staying ability to regain the lead and finish well to beat Kate Knows Best by 10 lengths.
Flashaway is the fifth foal from Voler La Vedette — runner-up to Big Buck's in the 2012 Stayers Hurdle and which, four months earlier, had been at the centre of a high-profile Betfair 'glitch' which was later resolved by voiding £23m of 'winning' in-running Leopardstown bets.
Earlier today winning trainer Willie Mullins was successful with Saint Sam and following the bumper, son Patrick said “Flashaway has a super pedigree and Nelius (O'Keeffe, owner) sent her up to us in great fettle. She was tough and hardy and I wouldn’t be surprised if she was better on better ground.
“I’d imagine we might be looking at some of those black type bumpers at the end of the season.”
He added “it means a lot to win Ronan’s race.”
Quotes from Alan Magee
