Voler La Vedette heads on for defending her Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle title
The C. A Murphy trained, Voler La Vedette, is being directed by the connections to defend her Grade 1 Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle in this year’s edition of the race. The eight-year-old bay mare won it against the favourite entry, Mourad, last year. Joining teams with jockey, A. E. Lynch, had her cruising past the wire by the winning margin of 3 ¾ lengths.
The line-up for this year has an additional entry that has taken up the field to five from the four last year. Her competence will be tested against four others in the field.
Her comeback race of the 2012 season suggests that the Mrs. M. Brophy owned will have to switch back into form quick. The outcome came more as a shock than a disappointment as bred and owned by, Mrs. M. Brophy, ended a respectable second.
She had her season’s opener as the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle on 11th November, 2012 at Navan race course over two miles and four furlongs. The winner over the eleven hurdles was, Whatuthinhk, who had onboard jockey, Tom Doyle.
The duo defeated the most celebrated entry of the race, Voler La Vedette, by 4 ¼ lengths.
She did not become prominent right at the beginning of the race, but when the distance had the final four furlongs approaching, she started shifting into a higher gear.
The leader and the chaser shared the third last furlong in contention. The final furlong that always gives the chances to the contenders to twist the fate of the race, was not utilized by the favourite entry as she remained in the same pace that denied her success.
Opposing her in the field will be the Willie Mullins trained, So Young and Zaidpour, Dessie Hughes conditioned, Si C’Etait Vrai. Completing the quintet are, Monksland trained by, Noel Meade. The opponent has won Grade 2 at Royal Down.
Trainer, Mullins, commented about his duo,
"Both these horses will like the ground and the trip and both are up to running in Grade One races, but the mare will be hard to beat," he said.
Murphy is filled with faith about the back-to-back attack of his mare:
"Touch wood she is good and well in herself. Fingers crossed, we are hoping for a nice run," said the County Wexford trainer.
"We're happy going there on Sunday. Ideally, we'd have preferred she won the last day, but apart from the result, all is well. Hopefully she'll get the run of the race."
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