Dolcita

Dolcita put up a really nice performance under a superb ride from Paul Townend to win the listed mares’ chase over two and a half miles at Clonmel last Thursday. Settled back in the field early on, her jumping was very good and she travelled well down the back straight final time. She jumped up into a share of third place behind Ballyshannon Rose and Elimay at the final fence in the back straight, but Townend was happy to allow Scarlet And Dove go back up on her outside as they raced down around the home turn. He was happy to allow his mare drift fully four lengths off the pace as they raced around the home turn, before asking her for her effort as they straightened up. A slight mistake at the second last fence didn’t help, but it is a fair pull from the second last to the line at Clonmel. Dolcita flew the final fence and she had just enough real estate and enough energy left to allow her get up and beat the gallant Ballyshannon Rose by a half a length.

It was a really nice performance by Willie Mullins’ mare, on her first run since last April. She just got up to beat a talented and race-fit mare, and she had two high-class mares in Elimay and Scarlet And Dove behind her in third and fourth places. She should progress from this run too, her first since she finished over 40 lengths behind Scarlet And Dove in the Glencarrig Lady Mares’ Chase at the Punchestown Festival in April. She will be of interest wherever she goes next, but she goes well at Fairyhouse, she is two for two over fences there, and she will be of particular interest if and when she returns to the County Meath venue.
Clonmel, 17^th November 2022