Prize-money spread around on Friday night
RACING
THE prize-money was spread around on Friday at Dundalk Stadium as eight races produced wins for eight different trainers and eight different jockeys.
‘He has plenty of pace’, said winning jockey Billy Lee after Enough Said, who was winning for the second time, landed the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Handicap, the card’s opening contest.
Both of the winner’s successes have come since joining trainer Tipperary trainer Aidan Fogarty from his original home in France.
Having run well in a claiming race at Dundalk just four days earlier, Comhghairdeas (11/4 fav), which translates into English as congratulations, was backed as if defeat was out of the question in the first division of the BetVictor Bet €5 Get €30 Offer Apprentice Handicap, and he duly obliged in the hands of apprentice Paddy Harnett.
That good earlier run meant that the winner’s rating was due to rise by 15lbs so trainer Andy Slattery decided to strike while the iron was hot.
Representing the stable, Andy’s brother Brian said: ‘ He bounced out and got an easy-enough lead. It was nice and simple and it’s great to get a win for the owners (Men of Forty Eight Syndicate)’.
Having had a second and third earlier on the card, trainer Eddie Lynam knew that his horses were running well and Major Power (9/1) further confirmed things by edging out the 7/2 favourite Swiss Army Officer in the second division of the apprentice handicap. The winning rider was Ben Coen.
The winning trainer said: ‘He’s a home-bred so it’s nice to win a race with him. We use him as a lead horse for the two-year-olds at home.’
The most-impressive performance of the night came from the Jessica Harrington-trained In The Present (9/4 joint-fav), who ran away with the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Fillies Maiden in the hands of Shane Foley.
The winner is closely related to the Epsom Derby winner, Kris Kin, and Gordon Elliott’s Cause Of Causes, a three-time Cheltenham Festival winner and runner-up to One For Arthur in the 2018 Aintree
Grand National and connections were naturally delighted to get a win into a filly that had already been placed in a Listed Race.
The first of the card’s €25,000 races, the www.dundalkstadium. com Handicap, went the way of Freescape (12/1) in the hands of Declan McDonogh, who defeated Ger Lyons’ Kafu by one-and-a-half lengths.
Winning trainer David Marnane said: ‘Timing is everything and he’ll go straight to Dubai now (for the Festival, where he has run for the last two years, including being placed in a Listed Race). ‘
The second of the card’s €25,000 contests, the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap, saw Jim Bolger’s Bold Approach (7/1) reverse recent Dundalk form with both Charcor (fourth tonight) and Sky Seven (second tonight).
The winner proved to be aptly-named because jockey Kevin Manning soon led on the lightly-raced son of Dawn Approach, who then gamely held off the late challengers.
It was a return to winning form for a colt that finished second to eventual Epsom Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck in the Group 3 Japan Racing Association Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown in July 2018.
In the Happy Christmas From All At Dundalk Stadium Maiden, plenty of punters took the form hint with Golden Valour, who had finished fifth to Charcor at Dundalk last-time out, where tonight’s previous-race winner Bold Approach was third, and backed him into evens favourite.
They hardly had a moment’s worry as Chris Hayes brought the Richard O’Brien-trained gelding home two lengths clear of the field. The winning trainer said: ‘He’s a beautiful mover and hops off the (Dundalk) surface. We’re not in a rush with him and will give him time to develop.’
The card’s finale, the Crowne Plaza Jockey & Trainer Awards Handicap, saw Noel Meade’s Art Of America (7/1) follow up his Dundalk win of December 6th, when he was also ridden by Gavin Ryan.
The winner has now won on both his visits to Dundalk, both times by no more than a head.