Cloonlara (horse)

On her racecourse debut Cloonlara contested the Hurry-On Stakes over five furlongs at Phoenix Park Racecourse and won by five lengths from Success At Last and seven others. Only two horses appeared to oppose the filly when she was moved up in distance for the Probationers Stakes over six and a half furlongs at the Curragh Racecourse. Starting at odds of 1/10 she won by five lengths, emulating her sire, Sir Ivor, who won the same race in 1967. Cloonlara was then dropped back in distance, and moved up in class for the Group Two Phoenix Stakes over five furlongs on firm ground at Phoenix Park. She was made second favourite behind the colt Godswalk who had won the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot by four lengths. Cloonlara broke quickly, established a clear advantage, and was never seriously challenged, winning by six lengths from Godswalk with Ring Leader (who had won his previous race by ten lengths) in third place. The filly sustained an injury in the race and finished lame. Despite hopes that she might return for the Cheveley Park Stakes she did not race again in 1976.[3]

On her debut as a three-year-old in April 1977, Cloonlara was sent to England for the 1000 Guineas Trial at Ascot Racecourse where the ground was so soft that the starting stalls could not be used and the race was started by flag. When the flag fell for the first time, Cloonlara, ridden by Lester Piggott, started well, but the runners were recalled after a false start was declared. On the second start, Cloonlara was standing side-on as the flag fell, lost approximately twenty yards and never recovered, finishing unplaced behind the French filly Sanedtki. The race reportedly provoked a "sharp exchange" between Piggott and the starter Dick Smalley.[4] Despite her unfortunate experience at Ascot, Cloonlara was made 6/4 favourite for the 165th running of the 1000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket Racecourse. She took the lead from the start but was strongly challenged by the 16/1 outsider Mrs McArdy two furlongs from the finish. When Piggott resorted to the whip, the filly's only response was to swish her tail in a "querulous"[5] manner, and she finished the race in fourth place behind Mrs McArdy, Freeze The Secret and Sanedtki.

Attempts to return the filly to sprint distances in the Cork and Orrery Stakes at Royal Ascot in June proved unsuccessful as she threw Piggott off in the preliminaries and then refused to enter the starting stalls.[6] In the Prix de la Porte Maillot over 1400 metres at Longchamp Racecourse later that month, she was more co-operative, consenting to start the race without giving any trouble. Starting at odds of 11/1 she appeared to have every chance in the straight but finished fourth of the eleven runners, two and three-quarter lengths behind the winner Polyponder.[5]