EASILY the performance of last Friday night’s Dundalk card came from To Glory whose display in the HOLLYWOODBETS Median Auction Race showed just why he was campaigned at a high level in the three starts that followed his debut win last summer.

A field of 11 went to post for this mile contest, and given nine were previous winners this looked like the toughest and most interesting race on the card. In contrast to his rivals though, To Glory had twice tested his mettle at Group 2 level last year and the experience he gained against that sort of competition stood to him.

The well-backed 9/4 favourite, who wears the colours of Ger Lyons’ stalwart patron Sean Jones, travelled nicely through the race for Colin Keane and was still cruising along as the runners turned in. To Glory then struck the front with just under a quarter of a mile to run and he went to the line in style to dish out a five-and-a-half-length beating to Rebel Step.

“We liked him last year when very green and a bit keen. He settled well today and did everything right and was very impressive. He’s pulled away from a good field there and the future looks bright for him,” declared the trainer’s brother, Shane.

The champion jockey brought up a double on the Adrian McGuinness-trained Betrayed (11/4) in the three-year-old six-furlong handicap.

In the colours of Gary Devlin and the trainer’s wife, Hazel, this Lethal Force filly was following up a win in a similar event here last month. From early in the straight Betrayed went toe to toe with Eloso and the latter looked to be holding on deep inside the last furlong, but Betrayed raised her effort once more as the line loomed and that was enough to secure a short-head success.

McGuinness was also ending the evening with a double as he had earlier sent out Is That Love to take the one-mile apprentice handicap under Cian MacRedmond.

This four-year-old, who carries the colours of Mark Devlin, started out in handicaps with a rating of 64 last September but was running off a mark of 46 here. Is That Love (10/1) drifted steadily left after striking the front with over a furlong to run but he still reached the line with a length and a quarter to spare over Sense Of Worth.

“He was having problems with his breathing so we had a job done on that and stepping him up to a mile suits as he can get into his races a lot better,” reported the trainer.

NEVER Mistabeat, who was rated a mere 41 when scoring here in January, registered a commanding success off a 19lbs higher mark in the 45-65 rated handicap over an extended mile and a quarter. Ronan Whelan had to drive along the 9/4 favourite to get into a decent early position but the Park Hill Racing-owned gelding responded to track the leaders and he turned this race into a procession in the closing stages to win by four and a half lengths.

“The blinkers (two wins and a second since they were applied) have worked and woken him up big time. They have focused his mind,” reported Jarlath Fahey. “He could be back here on the Finals day on April 18th or we could switch him to turf. Ronan’s first cousin, Jamie, runs the syndicate.”

The capable Kendred Soul notched up her second claimer victory within three weeks in the opener over seven furlongs.

Now a dual winner and placed twice from four starts in Ireland, the 15/8 favourite was always nicely placed for Kevin Manning and she picked off the front-running Sunset Nova at the furlong pole en route to a one-and-three-quarter-length triumph.

The Johnny Feane-trained and Handbrakes Down Syndicate-owned winner changed hands afterwards after being picked up for €10,000 by trainer Pat Murphy, while John McConnell secured the third-placed Zahee for €5,000.

Another horse with quite a liking for the Polytrack is Storm Steps (12/1) who notched up his third win at this track in the mile-and-a-half handicap. This Jim Monaghan-owned gelding finished sixth on his last start but has otherwise been a model of consistency since last autumn.

In a race where the leading quintet dominated to the exclusion of everything else, Storm Steps moved back to the front shortly after turning in. He then had to contend with the steady effort of Pachmena but he kept finding more to keep her at bay and the line arrived in time to get home by a short head.

AIDAN O’Brien struck with another useful-looking three-year-old as Sir Lamorak got off the mark at the third attempt in the maiden over an extended mile and a quarter. Seamie Heffernan’s mount had shown plenty of promise last term and he was returned the 4/6 favourite. In a steadily-run affair, eight of the runners had every chance a quarter of a mile out but the Ballydoyle representative quickened nicely to lead at the furlong pole and held off Moktaffy by half a length.

The winner looks useful, plenty of others shaped with promise and this race could produce its share of winners over the coming weeks.

Bargain buy Irish Acclaim (9/1) continues to do his connections proud and he notched up his third win since being picked up for 3,500gns last autumn in the six-furlong handicap. Scott McCullagh, on board for his two previous wins, took the mount on the Richard O’Brien inmate who defeated Eglish by a length and a quarter. The Kingdom Thoroughbred Syndicate-owned winner will switch to the turf in due course.