THE Annus Mirabilis Syndicate recorded their 100th winner as the heavily supported Joseph O’Brien-trained How About No (4/9 favourite) landed the DundalkStadium.com Maiden last Friday evening.

Winning jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle had earlier scored on Ohailbhic, and he had How About No racing prominently before shaking off market-rival Sea Wave (11/4) to score by a length and a quarter.

Donal O’Mahoney, of the 14-member syndicate of friends, reported: “Only with Joseph O’Brien could this be possible and we have been with him since day one.

“We know the O’Briens who are great people, and while we were never going to have a horse with Aidan for obvious reasons, there was a chance of having horses with Joseph. We hatched this plan with Annemarie (O’Brien) before Joseph had stopped riding and it has been a spectacular ride for all of us.”

Browne McMonagle’s earlier winner came on the Johnny Feane-trained, Ivan Holloway-owned Ohailbhic (11/4 favourite) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

The son of Exceed And Excel edged right in the closing stages, carrying Miss Black Jack fractionally off course but, following a stewards’ inquiry, the result stood.

Browne McMonagle reported: “He travelled around good and seems to be sharpening up plenty with racing. He was always in control and it was only a matter of pressing the button. I would have loved if they (the leaders) had taken me a bit further.

“John (Feane) was fairly confident he would get the job done and I think he is going to keep progressing and should turn into a nice horse in time. I think he will get away with six (furlongs) no problem but looks like he is going to get seven and maybe even a mile in time.”

Denis Hogan had a good result in the ‘Floodlit Fridays’ Claiming Race, as his heavily-supported Ransom (8/11 favourite) defeated runner-up stablemate May Night (22/1)

Hogan said: “Ransom was entitled to do that in that company, as it was a big drop down from what he has been in. He has dropped down the handicap all year, he has just been running well without winning. To get him settled is the biggest thing.”

DANNY Sheehy recorded his 95th winner today and thus lost his right to claim, having steered the Diego Dias-owned-and-trained Winemaker (7/1) to win in the Winter Series Leading Trainer & Jockey Championship Handicap.

Sheehy, son of trainer Eamonn ‘Dusty’ Sheehy, came out best in a three-way finish to the seven-furlong contest, winning by a short-head and head from James Henry and Macadam’s Rock.

“It was a great ride by Danny, he dictated the pace the way he wanted. He said there was no pace so had to jump forward. We like him, he battled back and is a nice horse.

“This gives us more options, he will probably get a break now and go back to the turf.”

On a day when star colt Auguste Rodin galloped at the racecourse before racing, Ballydoyle’s ever-present jockey Seamie Heffernan was another to record a double, scoring with Billboa and Badda Bing. Billboa (5/2 — 11/8 favourite) followed up a December course maiden win with a second consecutive success in the opening Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap for trainer Willie Browne.

“That’s a fun horse and belongs to my partner (Tracey Kearney),” said Browne. “He didn’t make the breeze up as he got an injury. I’d like to find another race here before it finishes, he likes it here and I’d say he will get seven furlongs.”

Doubled

Heffernan doubled his score on impressive debutante Badda Bing in the Put The Fun In Fundraising At Dundalk Maiden, scoring successive daily wins for trainer Josh Halley.

Backed from 25/1 on Friday morning and returned 6/1, the son of City Light quickened clear to beat fellow newcomer Al Mudhaffar by a length and a half.

Halley, son of Coolmore vet John Halley, sent out The Lord Maid to win at Clonmel on Thursday. The winning rider was impressed: “We thought he (Badda Bing) would run well, but I’d say he’s well above average. He’s a beautiful mover.

“I ride a bit of work for the lads and we thought he was ready to start, everyone liked him. I think he’s a grass horse. He might just have a bit of class.”

WRECKING Ball Paul provided the Mulligan family with a memorable and poignant success in the concluding Book Online @ DundalkStadium.com Handicap.

The free-going six-year-old often bolts mid-race but today, under 17-year-old Rory Mulligan, settled well, led in the home straight and finished well to beat Hasten Slowly.

Winning trainer Paul Mulligan, father of the jockey, revealed: “I want to dedicate this to Stephen Kelly, who owned a share in this horse but passed away with cancer about a month ago. It is a pity he is not here to see it, he loved the craic with him and went racing all the time.”

Regarding Wrecking Ball Paul, he added: “He is very hard to ride and doesn’t even walk slow! He is really awkward.

“This means a lot for a small yard, for that young lad (Rory, son) and my other son, Ben, who is leading him up and rides him all the time. The horse is settling with age and has a bit of ability.”

Front-runner Bruce Lightening (7/1) registered a first success in the View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Handicap for trainer Pat Martin and rider Jack Kearney.

“We think six furlongs is a bit sharp for him, so Jack had to get the fractions right,” Martin said. “They looked to go plenty quickly and we were a sitting duck - I’d say he was passed but then stayed on.

“He’s not easy, he’s all go and my son does a great job with him at home.

“Most guys wouldn’t want to be riding him out. He loves soft ground and he’ll certainly be running early on the turf when it is soft.”