FRIENDLY FIRES IN FAIR WARRIOR

Ian Fortune

Gem Friendly produced the best display of her career at Mullingar to storm to a brilliant victory in the Pat Doran Memorial Fair Warrior Open 400.

This was over as soon as it began with the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Susie Sapphire completing her unbeaten march through the competition with a thoroughly professional display.

Conor McGrath’s star was sent to traps the even money favourite and everything went to plan. Breaking smartly from six, she was afforded room to race in the early yards as her nearest market rival Stefans Galaxy cut inwards from five.

With Valderrama breaking smartly from three before moving wide, causing a little traffic up the middle of the track, Gem Friendly took full advantage. She flew into the turn to post her fastest sectional of the event, a rapid 6.89.

Once doing so, the remainder were playing for second place. Gem Friendly was relentless. The Vincent McKenna trained bitch ran right to the line to stop the clock in a stunning 21.11. It was comfortably the fastest time posted this year and is amongst the eight fastest runs ever recorded for the 400yd trip around Mullingar.

Valderrama ran a fine second, some three and a half lengths down, while third went to Stefans Galaxy another four lengths adrift. Gem Friendly is clearly a sprinter of note and it will be interesting to see where they go from here but don’t be surprised if she turns up at Shelbourne Park next weekend.