The opening Group status race on the Doomben 10,000 Day line-up has been run and won with the Gerald Ryan-trained Angel Of Mercy atoning for her Group 1 loss last weekend to win the 2014 Lord Mayor’s Cup.

The $125,000 Group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup (1615m) was a step down in class and distance for the Hussonet mare who failed to run out a strong 2000m in the Doomben Cup at the track just seven days earlier.

“Damian [Browne] got off her last week and said she didn’t run out the 2000 metres,” stable rep Sterling Alexiou said after today’s victory.

Tim Bell replaced Browne for today’s ride and the new duo were able to pull out a sensational effort late coming from near last in the Lord Mayor’s Cup field to win.

“Nailed it,” was Alexiou’s comment.

Displaying a scintillating late burst Angel Of Mercy ($4.80) got the split in the final 50 metres coming up through the middle to beat home the John O’Shea-trained duo.

The beaten favourite in second was Wistful ($3.20), coming off a Hawkesbury Cup second, while the rails-drawn Cameo ($6) crossed for third failing to go back-to-back after her Scone Cup win just last Friday.

Cameo was actually one of the best out of the gates and went up to the front to sit second on the inside of pacemaker Rollout The Carpet.

Right back and wide was then Angel Of Mercy, a position Ryan and the team had told Bell not to worry about being in.

“She’s got the best finish in the race, don’t panic, she’ll let down,” were the instructions to Bell accord to Alexiou.

And that’s exactly what Bell did, waiting for the gap before taking up to take the lead and take it out after running the final 200m in 11.68 seconds in a brave effort.

“He gave her a 12 out of 10 ride and she did the job,” Alexiou said.

Angel Of Mercy was also on the short back-up, something she handled winning her first race since the Listed Winning Edge Members’ Handicap also over the mile at Eagle Farm on April 19.

In between that win and the Doomben Cup failure she also ran a luckless eighth in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) behind subsequent Doomben Cup winner Streama when unable to let down on a Heavy (8) Gold Coast track.

It was a nicely timed Group win for Angel Of Mercy today though, her sixth from 26 career starts, and one Bell had been quietly confident of achieving with her.

“I was very confident,” he said.

“I rode this horse in track work before the Doomben Cup and she was absolutely flying.

“She’s got such a great turn of foot over a mile.

“Everything panned out well, what a fabulous horse.”

She goes to the broodmare sales on Wednesday, a nice pick-up for whoever buys her from current connections as she’s obviously still a good racing prospect.

There’s still time to get your bets down on the big one at Doomben today, the Doomben 10,000 to run as Race 8 with Ladbrokes.com.au offering Best Tote or SP + 20% markets on the race now!

2014 Lord Mayor’s Cup Results & Finishing Order

Doomben Race 3 – 24/05/2014

Place	#	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Br.	Wgt.	SP
1	10	ANGEL OF MERCY	Gerald Ryan	Timothy Bell	–	3	57kg	$4.80
2	13	WISTFUL	John O’Shea	Kerrin McEvoy	0.1L	4	57kg	$3.20F
3	11	CAMEO	John O’Shea	Glen Boss	2.1L	1	57kg	$6
4	5	LOADED	Grant Allard	Nash Rawiller	2.9L	12	59kg	$8
5	9	ALLKNIGHT SAINT	Brad Herne	Damien Oliver	3.1L	2	59kg	$51
6	12	ROLLOUT THE CARPET	Jeff McVean & Emma-Lee Browne	Hugh Bowman	5.4L	8	57kg	$12
7	7	STARKIATO	Lloyd Kennewell	Joe Bowditch	5.8L	7	59kg	$21
8	3	ANGOLA	Pat Carey	Rhys McLeod	6.6L	5	59kg	$61
9	6	BRAYROAN (NZ)	Barry A Mitchell	Chris Munce	6.7L	9	59kg	$71
10	8	CARMORA	Desleigh Forster	Michael Cahill	6.9L	11	59kg	$61
11	1	HISTORIAN (NZ)	Gary Alton	Vinnie Colgan	11.7L	6	59kg	$8
12	4	FLYING HOME	Barry Baldwin	Tegan Harrison (a)	11.9L	10	59kg	$51
SB	2	GREY ASSIGNMENT	Brian Smith	Larry Cassidy	–	0	59kg	$31