BORN RACES TO WARRIOR SUCCESS

Ian Fortune

It was certainly a wonderful weekend for Jennifer O’Donnell, finished in real style by Born Racer in the final of the €5,000 Droopys Stud Fair warrior at Mullingar on Sunday afternoon.

After the wonderful displays of his Seven Beach and Scooby Pacemaker in the Boylesports Derby, there would have real peer pressure on Born Racer but he delivered in style.

Road Exile was the red-hot favourite after an unbeaten march through the prelims but it wasn’t meant to be for the flying brindle. He screwed from trap three and was always playing catch up. Instead, Scarborough Fair flashed from trap two to set the pace into the turn but Born Racer was immediately on the case and from an ideal draw on the fence made a decisive move on the turn.

John Mitchell’s talented son of Ballymac Anton and Whitings Gift burst up the inside rail and pushed Scarborough Fair off the turn on the corner. Suddenly, it was a two-dog affair with Born Racer leading into the back straight but Road Exile was now in second and starting to close.

The pair powered up the long back straight to the line with Road Exile closing with each stride. Born Racer was not for catching, however. Staying on well, the August ’22 whelp held off Road Exile by a neck in 21.74. Scarborough Fair ran a big race to finish just a length and a half adrift in third.