'She's always had a level of ability' - Luna provides relief for Conrad Allen

Wednesday: Lingfield

Luna Queen was a 150-1 fourth in the £200,000 Weatherbys Scientific Stakes at Doncaster last September but landed her first success in the more modest Class 6 mile handicap under Grace McEntee.

The three-year-old filly fended off the challenge of 100-1 shot My Bonnie Lassie to score at the 11th attempt, supplying Newmarket trainer Conrad Allen with his first winner for two months.

Allen said: “To be honest with you, I thought after the Scientific Stakes last year she was going to go forward and we’ve won a 0-60 today, but I’m absolutely delighted that we’ve managed to put things into place for her.

“She’s sent us confusing messages, that’s why we’ve been running her over different trips but she’s always had a level of ability.

"It wasn’t a surprise whether she could win today; it was just whether we’d got all of our ducks in a row and luckily today we had. Hopefully she can go forward now.”

Stevie Donohoe had been due to ride Ravi Road for Mark Usher in the same race as well as provide a breath sample, but he failed to arrive at the racecourse.

The stewards interviewed the clerk of the scales, Donohoe's valet, the BHA testing officer, and Donohoe over the telephone before allowing Kieran O’Neill to replace him. He finished eighth on Usher’s filly.

Rhys Clutterbuck stepped in for Donohoe’s other engagement on Fighting Temeraire in the next race, but Dean Ivory’s nine-year-old was withdrawn at the start of the 7f handicap won by the Amy Murphy-trained George Morland. The matter was forwarded to the BHA for further consideration.

Off the mark

Also off the mark as well as Luna Queen was Ellexis in the 7f fillies' maiden for Roger Teal, and the Henry Candy-trained Heartbreak Lass, who went one better than her debut at Windsor to take the 5f maiden under Dane O'Neill.

Results, replays and analysis

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