Racing: Dunlop holds off debutants

The Flat season started in earnest in the Lowdham Maiden Stakes at Nottingham yesterday. Henry Cecil had his first runner, ridden by his new stable jockey, Kieren Fallon, David Loder likewise took the plunge, and Walter Swinburn had his first ride of the year.

But all were upstaged by Ed Dunlop and his new apprentice Daragh O'Donohoe, who took the honours with Latalomne, a half-brother to the Breeders' Cup Sprint winner, Sheikh Albadou. Latalomne won by two lengths from Shawm, the Loder-trained odds-on favourite, with Shaheen, the Cecil-Fallon representative, third. Swinburn never got in a blow at the leaders on Spy Knoll and finished 13th.