Nituna and Robyn Donaghue-Leahy© Photo Healy Racing
Nituna (3/1) gave her new owners and jockey Robyn Donoghue-Leahy a breakthrough win with trainer Sheila Lavery at Naas today, as the filly shed her maiden status in the O'Neill & Co. Apprentice Handicap (Div II).
It was Donoghue-Leahy's first ride for Lavery and on the 15-race maiden, held her in mid-field before switching wide when short of room early in the home straight. The pair finished strongly racing along on the stands' side rail and, at the line, pipped Cannes Do by a short-head.
Lavery later quipped “it's the very first runner for the Making Memories Racing Club who leased her from the Mugs Syndicate - it's a great start but it is all downhill from here!”
She added “Robyn felt confident that she was going to get there. She was very comfortable how the horse was travelling and said she loved hitting the bit of traffic. She's a funny filly as at home she goes off and does her own thing and in some ways she's not the most straightforward.
“The rain came in time for me as she hated the ground in Ballinrobe and never travelled a yard, it was just too fast for her that day.
“I don't think she's a Galway horse, she likes a nice big open track so we'll have a look and see what the handicapper gives her and go from there.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
