O’Lordy pays her way at Rosehill

Lance Horan has earned enough to pay someone else to drive him home from Rosehill, with the part-time taxi driver celebrating O’Lordy’s big payday in the Highway Handicap.

Horan bred the mare and leases him in partnership with Goulburn trainer Danny Williams who made the astute decision to back her up on Saturday following her maiden win at Goulburn eight days ago.

She has now earned almost $50,000 from those two starts.

“I used to be a pedigree analyst for New Zealand Racetrack,” Horan said.

“I bred this filly from my mare Fair Look and Danny agreed to lease half of her.”

Sent out at $7.50 in the Highway Handicap (1200m), O’Lordy prevailed to beat Atlantic Sentinel ($6.50) by a short neck, with a head to Academy Hill ($14) and $3.80 favourite Lunar Duchess a close-up fourth.

“Once she got the split she really wound up strong,” jockey Jay Ford said.

“She’s a horse who wants further than what she was over today. I think she’s going to make a really nice miler.”

Williams said the plan was to return to Rosehill in two weeks for a 1500m race.

“She’s been a slow maturer and every jockey who has ridden her says she needs further, even up to 2000 metres,” he said.

“She had problems as a younger horse. She went shin sore, among other things.

“But she has really matured this preparation. She is talented and can win better races.”