Hat-tricks are all the rage on Dundalk card
THE new year at Dundalk began with an old favourite recording a third success at the stadium as Primo Uomo (9/1) scored in the hands of apprentice jockey Dean Curran, who was registering a third career success of his own.
The nine-year-old gelding, who has been handled throughout his career by Kildare-based Ger O’Leary, has now finished in the first three in nine of his 13 races at Dundalk, a venue he clearly likes.
The stable of Ado McGuinness has gone from strength to strength in the last couple of years, which includes Group 3 and Listed Race wins at Dundalk in 2020, a year in which he sent out 20 winners at the stadium.
Well, he got 2021 off to a winning start when Raphael (5/4 favourite) landed the Join Us On Instagram @dundalk_stadium Claiming Race in the hands of Gavin Ryan.
Gavin, who was last season’s champion apprentice in Ireland, rode 17 winners at Dundalk in 2020 and was riding for the first time since taking a tumble at the venue on November 27th. What better way to announce your return?
Having ridden a winner on this card last year, Ben Coen repeated that feat when landing the Irishinjuredjockeys.com
Handicap on the well-supported 11/4 favourite Just Brilliant for owner and trainer Sarah Lynam. Sarah only acquired the winner in March, so it was clearly money well-spent.
Having cost just 3,500 guineas when purchased by the Kingdom Racing Syndicate last October, another shrewd buy has been Irish Acclaim, who has now won two of his three races for trainer Richard O’Brien, both of them at Dundalk, both of them when ridden by apprentice Scott McCullagh.
Last Friday’s success came in the HOLLYWOODBETS Horse Racing And Sports Betting Rated Race at the rewarding odds of 14/1.
The Ted Walsh-trained Ferrybank (11/8) became the third winning favourite on the card when landing the Follow Us On Twitter @DundalkStadium Maiden by a comfortable two lengths in the hands of Chris Hayes.
Owned by Ted’s wife Helen, the winner had previously shown very good maiden form at Dundalk, including when second to Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas entry Russian River on November 27th. Before that he had finished third, also at Dundalk, to Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby entry Isle of Sark, who looks a good prospect.
The winning trainer said: ‘He’s improving with each run and loves fast ground, so he’ll come back here (to Dundalk).’
Chris went on to complete a double when Chateau Musar (3/1 favourite) won the first division of the Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk Handicap for owner and trainer John Geoghegan. The winner has now won twice from his last three runs at Dundalk.
Also winning for the second time in his last three Dundalk runs was Romann (4/1) who, trained by Pat Flynn and ridden by Conor Hoban, won the card’s finale, the second division of the Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk Handicap.
He has been the calendar year champion trainer at Dundalk in each of the last three seasons and Joseph O’Brien got 2021 off to a winning start at the stadium when Scholastic won the Find Us On Facebook @dundalkstadium Handicap under jockey Mikey Sheehy.
Owned by prolific Dundalk winners, the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate, the four-year-old filly was racing over the trip for just the second time on the flat and looks progressive.
There was more racing at Dundalk yesterday (Monday) and the next meeting will be on this Friday (first race provisionally at 4.15pm).