ROSE BLOOMS IN DUBLIN CUP DECIDER

Ian Fortune

Hello Rose had improved with almost every one of her eight career starts prior to her appearance in the final of the Dublin Cup at Shelbourne Park on Friday night and right on queue she produced her very best run to date to emerge a fully deserving winner of the valuable prize.

Owner Andy Hogan was in disbelief after racing and was clearly absolutely delighted with the performance of his daughter of Burgess Bucks and Holycross Heidi and so he should be. In truth, this race was over from the opening strides.

A noted strong runner, Hello Rose absolutely flew from trap two to comfortably lead into the turn. Knockeen Dawn went up strongly on the outside of the track to sit a length second on the corner but Hello Rose ran a true line to increase her advantage into the back straight.

La Barbaro, the 6-4 favourite, also ran a fine corner to move second into the back straight but Hello Rose was never going to be stopped. La Barbaro swung wide off the second turn, leaving the door open or Headinthewindow to move second before halfway but she too was chasing shadows.  

It was clear that she was going to need something extraordinary to deny Helo Rose victory.  

Great credit must go to Headinthewindow as she did close the gap into the third turn but Hello Roe was still moving with real fluency and she powered up the straight to emerge a most impressive and fully deserving winner by two lengths in a fastest of the night 28.57. Headinthewindow was second with La Barbaro a further five lengths adrift in third.