THERE were few more eye-catching losers at the Listowel Harvest Festival than She’s On The Ball, beaten half a length into second by Platino Bianco in the seven-furlong Rose Hotel Handicap on Tuesday, writes Andy Stephens.

The Laura Hourigan-trained three-year-old did not live up to her name under Wayne Lordan in the early stages, being slower to 20mph than all bar one of her 15 rivals after an awkward start and taking 28.81sec to complete the first two furlongs.

By comparison, front-running Platino Bianco took just 27.31sec, giving him a crucial early advantage of about nine lengths.

She’s On The Ball was still well adrift out wide in ninth with two furlongs to run, but she polished them off in 24.87sec, which was at least 1.12sec (more than six lengths) quicker than anything else. However, the damage had been done and she ran out of road, despite the winner wilting late on.

This isn’t the first time that She’s On The Ball has made an awkward start, but she clearly has more races in her at a lowly level. She had previously won at Cork and it may be that straight tracks will show her to best advantage.

A day earlier, Professor Finnegan beat only one home in the 11-runner Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden for juveniles, but looks one to monitor.

He was taken off his feet early on in the mile contest and was well adrift after three furlongs, having been slowest in each, but he was then fastest in furlongs four (a very fast 12.06sec) and five, plus was also second fastest in the penultimate furlong under sympathetic handling.

The Johnny Murtagh-trained gelding probably will not make much appeal until contesting handicaps, but this run had layers of interest.