RACING
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By BEN WALKER
COWRA trainer Andrew Molloy never has a big team of horses in work but he always gets results, and he was at it again on Monday at Narromine when Dubai Bullet took out the Alan Lloyd Memorial Cup (1600m).
The six-year-old mare had been in good form prior to Monday, with a pair of minor placings from her previous three starts, but she broke through for the fifth win of her career when she was able to lead all the way and salute in a blanket finish.
Ridden by Michael Travers, Dubai Bullet ($5.00) jumped well from barrier three and went to the front and held off all-comers to win an event where the first seven runners over the line were separated by less than a length.
After heading off At Twilight ($4.60 fav, Claire Nutman) soon after the start, Dubai Bullet was pressured by Smart Attire ($13.00, Rachel Hunt) before eventually getting an easier time when Hunt realised the lead wasn't available.
The solid tempo looked certain to play into the hands of the swoopers, and while Travers didn't pull the whip until the field had turned for home Dubai Bullet was quickly under pressure.
At Twilight, which settled midfield after easing out of the early battle for the front, loomed as the likely winner with 100m to go but Dubai Bullet failed to give in and pulled out just enough to beat the favourite, with King Eldous ($13.00, Ken Dunbar) getting the bob in to finish third, just ahead of Basic Model ($12.00, Joe Saiki), Fenestron ($10.00, Tiffany Jeffries), Storm Runner ($31.00, Beany Panya) and Devil In A Dress ($6.00, Vad Bolozhinskyi).
Meanwhile, Bathurst-based apprentice Eleanor Webster-Hawes tasted her second success in the space of a week when she guided Gelsomina ($4.00) to victory in the Robert Handsaker Ford Class 3 Handicap (1300m).
Seven days after timing her run to perfection from back in the field to win aboard Just Pay Up at Dubbo, Webster-Hawes took the Leon Davies-trained Gelsomina to the front early, before showing plenty of vigour to hold off the late burst of Iron Blue ($3.00 fav, Anthony Cavallo).
While the honours were with Gelsomina, the second horse can be followed in coming starts as Monday's race was his second run back from a spell and trainer Cameron Crockett is confident he will continue to improve through his preparation.