EILEENDOVER IS BUILT FOR SPEED
IT was very much a David over Goliath moment when Pam Sly, who describes herself as a Fenland farmer, toppled Willie Mullins with her runner Eileendover at Market Rasen.
Mullins, the undisputed king at the Cheltenham Festival and 14-times champion trainer in Ireland, was attempting to add to last year’s success in Alan Swinbank National Hunt Flat Race with Grangee, having won it last season with Panic Attack.
But the money proved spot on when Eileendover, sent off the 11-8 favourite, rocketed clear of rivals round the home bend under Paul O’brien, with Miss Lamb finishing second and Grangee a leg-weary third.
“That was good, wasn’t it?” said Sly. “I thought ‘Oh my god, she’s never going to get there’, but she found another gear.
“She just took off and flew. I’ve had a lot of offers for her but she’s not for sale, she’s not going anywhere! She’s a proper, proper mare.”
Sly might lack the numbers and profile of Mullins but she knows what makes a talented racehorse as she trained Eileendover’s grandmother Speciosa to win the 2006 1000 Guineas.
But Sly is reluctant to nominate the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham as the obvious target for her mare, who is now an impressive winner of all three of her races.
Sly said: “I have time to think about that as I don’t have to do the entry until March.”