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Nocturnal Portland Wins a Truly international Affair
13/09/11

The victory of the David Marnane-trained Nocturnal Affair in the ultra-competitive Ladbrokes Portland Handicap at Doncaster on Saturday once again proved what a truly international sport horse racing is these days, writes Elliot Slater.

The winner was adding to an impressive list of Irish-trained successes on Town Moor during the Leger Festival, that included a double strike by John Oxx, (most notably with Saddler's Rock in the Doncaster Cup, and the impressive success of Aidan O'Brien's Reply in the richly endowed Weatherby's Sales race), and capped a great week for the boys from the Emerald Isle at the South Yorkshire track. Irish fans of horse betting will have been delighted.

Nocturnal Affair has only been with his handler a month having joined his County Tipperary stables from the yard of Herman Brown in Meydan where the five-year-old raced without success during last winter's Dubai Carnival. The South African-bred gelding had previously established himself as a decent performer in his native land, winning on four occasions, twice at Scottsville and twice at Kenilworth over distances of six and seven furlongs.

The drop back to the unusual trip of five-and-a-half furlongs for the Portland Handicap clearly proved no obstacle to success for the Neil Callan-ridden son of Victory Moon, who overcame a tardy start to recover into midfield in the 21-runner contest then quickened willingly when asked for his effort to lead just inside the final furlong, before fending off a wall of challengers amongst whom Tim Easterby's Confessional got closest to him in failing by just half a length to catch the winner. The horseracing betting indicates both horses can improve in future.

Marnane was landing the coveted Doncaster sprint for the second time in three years having scored with Santo Padre in the 2009 renewal, and is confident that Nocturnal Affair can improve again. He may well take his chance in pattern race company next time out, possibly in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes at Tipperary in early October.

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