WAR Secretary got his three-year-old campaign off to a flying start with victory in the Avenue Inn, Dundalk Patton Stakes. Successful at this venue on his second and final start as a juvenile, the son of War Front was upped to listed class for his return and made the running.

Noivado loomed up and looked the likely winner a furlong out, but War Secretary responded to all of Seamie Heffernan's urgings and prevailed by a neck at odds of 5/2.

Heffernnan said of the Aidan O'Brien-trained colt: "He's been working nicely and we were hoping he would win. Sure, like all of them, we are hoping he will improve plenty. He's a likeable sort."

O'Brien doubled up when Key To My Heart benefitted from an enterprising Ana O'Brien ride in the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Fillies Maiden.

The 11/4 shot, in first-time blinkers, was allowed an uncontested lead and kicked for home leaving the back. Her rivals closed up in the straight but couldn't really get near enough to challenge and Key To My Heart came home two and a half lengths ahead of stablemate Puppetshow.

"She did it well. We went a nice gallop and she kept going, she stays well," said Aidan O'Brien. "The blinkers sharpened her up a bit as she's a bit laid-back at home."

A treble for the master of Ballydoyle was completed by San Remo in the Dundalk Stadium Handicap.

Stepped out of maiden company for the first time on his seasonal debut, and in a first-time hood, the 4/1 chance was brave as he disposed of Room To Roam by a head under Donnacha O'Brien, who also won the juvenile maiden with newcomer True Blue Moon, trained by his brother Joseph.

NEWCOMER

The well-backed 11/10 favourite took the lead off In The Dip with a furlong and a half to travel, but still looked decidedly green. Dali came at him but Joseph O'Brien's youngster still had plenty in the tank and kept going to score by half a length.

The winning trainer said: "He has plenty of speed. He's quite green and was green through the race. We'll find a winners' race or something for him now. I think he was always going to win, it looked that way.

"He ran off the bend a bit and was quite green when he hit the front so you'd be hoping he should improve nicely from the run. He was showing plenty of speed at home so hopefully he could be a nice horse."

Red Sabor struggled over seven furlongs on the opening day of the turf season at Naas but showed his appreciation for the drop to the minimum trip by landing the Dundalk Business Club 2017 Handicap.

The Andrew Slattery-trained 8/1 shot really stuck his neck out for Declan McDonogh and fended off Yulong Xiongyin by half a length.

Slattery said: "I fancied him. He was 14/1 last night and I told a few lads to have a few quid on him. He didn't stay seven furlongs at Naas the last day and, like all mine, he has taken a run. It was hard to know what kind of race it was, it looked a good race on paper.

"He's tough and he kind of has to be off the bridle, if he gets too much time to think about it he doesn't do it. He's a five- or six-furlong horse.

"There is a €50,000 three-year-old race at the Curragh and that will be his next run. He has won in soft ground at the Curragh over six so ground is not an issue to him."

CLAIMER

Burn The Boats was worse off at the weights with Elusive In Paris after beating him here just under three weeks ago, but confirmed his superiority with a five-and-a-half-length triumph in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Claiming Race at odds of 11/4.

Heading into the five-furlong Hen And Stag Parties At Dundalk Stadium Handicap, the shortest trip Shelbe (8/1) had tackled was a mile, but she sprouted wings late and got up to deny Pillar by half a length.

The final race, the 10 and a half furlong Good Friday Greyhound Racing At Dundalk Handicap, was won by the 2/1 favourite Locus Standi, a five-year-old gelding trained by Jim Bolger and ridden by Kevin Manning.

He landed the spoils by a length from the Johnny Feane-trained nine-year-old Six Silver Lane (13/2) who won over the course and distance last month.

READ THE FULL DUNDALK REPORT IN SATURDAY'S EDITION OF THE IRISH FIELD