Keane and Murtagh combine to Blitz rivals

THE Johnny Murtagh trained Blitz, in the colours of Qatar Racing Limited, gained a valuable maiden win at Dundalk, landing the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden on her sixth career attempt.

Ridden by Colin Keane, the daughter of Exceed And Excel was prominent throughout and in the end battled well for a length win over Idyllic Acrylic.

The five furlong Crowne Plaza Hotel Race & Stay Handicap at Dundalk featured no less than ten horses, from a field of 15, racing from the basement rating of 45 with the Ger Keane trained feather weight Red All Star winning under Killian Leonard.

The 45 rated son of Haatef, a maiden winner for trainer Pat Martin in 2014, overcame a wide draw in 13 when scoring his second career win, beating off 6/4 favourite Strategic Forceby half a length.

Course specialist Hes Our Music broke through the E100,000 prizemoney mark at Dundalk when claiming his eighth win, and his seventh at the Co Louth track, in the Dundalk Stadium Claiming Race. Ridden by Champion Jockey Pat Smullen, the son of Oratorio made all for a length win over Toccata Blue.

Shabra Emperor was the second course specialist to clock up another Dundalk win as the Anthony McCann trained gelding provided a win for county Monaghan in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap. Ridden by Monaghan native Conor McGovern, the son of Holy Roman Emperor beat Knights Templar by a length to register his seventh career win and his sixth at Dundalk

Dougan ticked Dundalk off the list of all-weather courses where he has won, landing the Dundalk - Light Up Your Night Handicap, under Champion Jockey Pat Smullen, on the four year old’s first Irish visit. Dougan had previously won at Kempton, Lingfield (both twice) and Wolverhampton and at Dundalk completed a double for Smullen, who was earlier on the mark with Hes Our Music.

Archer’s Up made it third time lucky when causing a 33/1 upset to win the www.dundalkstadium. com Maiden at Dundalk, winning for trainer Richard Brabazon and jockey Leigh Roche. Archer’s Up battled gamely in the closing stages to beat runner-up Train Time by three parts of a length with a further neck to 11/8 joint favourite Ample Sufficiency.

The Ellemarie Holden trained My Direction claimed his third flat success of the year when landing the concluding Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Handicap at Dundalk, winning under a well judged ride from apprentice Oisin Orr. Orr delivered his challenge late on My Direction and edged to the front between horses in the closing stages for a narrow win over Mainicin.