Gary Carson
Lordan Rules on France
Ruler Of France (nearest) grabs Lady Ultra
© Photo Healy Racing
Ruler Of France made a successful debut in handicap company when landing the nursery at Gowran Park this afternoon.
Wayne Lordan bounced his mount out in front in the seven-furlong contest but was headed after a furlong-and-a-half by the wide-running 20/1 shot Lady Ultra
The new front-runner had her rivals on the stretch down the straight but Lordan got a good tune from Ruler Of France inside the final furlong to peg back that rival and record a half-length win.
The winner was sent off 10/3 joint-favourite having been as short as 9/4 this morning. He opened 11/4 on track.
The other market leader Ubiquitous Mantle was two-and-a-quarter lengths back in third.
The David Wachman-trained winner, carrying John Magnier's colours, had been narrowly denied on his first two runs and was fourth on his return from a short break at Killarney last month.
“He ran really well in Killarney and he just came up against one of Aidan O'Brien's nice horses,” said Lordan afterwards.
“The visor today helped him travel better as he's very lazy. He had to battle hard and he done that.”
(Additional reporting by Donal Murphy)