GER Lyons and Gary Carroll teamed up for a quick double at Dundalk on Friday night when Glyndwr ran out a game winner of the Happy Halloween Handicap.
The Arizona gelding was to the fore throughout in the mile contest and repelled all comers in the closing stages to score by three quarters of a length.
The 5/1 winner was recording his second win at the venue, having won a maiden here just over a year ago.
“We’re thrilled for Philip Richards, who is from the Isle Of Man. He’s had a few horses with us and deserves that bit of luck,” said Shane Lyons. “Hopefully we’ll get another win out of him before Christmas.”
Kickstarting the brace
Diego El Queso initiated the brace in the Book Online At DundalkStadium.com Maiden. Sent off 11/10 favourite, the Woodridge Partnership-owned gelding tracked the pace for the first half-mile of the race.
Going second early in the straight, the son of Blue Point headed Ribble Emperor over a furlong out, keeping on well to win by three lengths. Shane Lyons said: “It’s no more than he deserved. He’s hit the crossbar a few times. He liked the surface and he could go up in trip, so we’ll see if there is another race here.
“Gary gave him a good ride and we’re delighted for the owner to get that monkey off his back. He’s a lovely horse and will hopefully fill into himself.”
BARBAPAPA got his head in front close home to win the Bar One Handicap. The Henry de Bromhead-trained gelding led early under Adam Grant but looked booked for second when headed by Little Queenie over a furlong out.
However, the Kieran Haughey and Kieran Byrne-owned gelding knuckled down well in the closing stages to get back up to win by a nose. The 15/2 winner was kept going late on ‘hands and heels’ as Grant had lost his whip a furlong and a half down.
Grant wasn’t sure if he had won: “I didn’t know, I was just hopeful as I dropped my stick and it would have been a hard luck story if I didn’t get up. He’s a legend of a horse. Big thanks to the owners and Henry for having the faith in me to put me up.
“That’s my second winner and hopefully things get going now. I’ll keep kicking and keep the head down and try and get as many rides and winners as I can.”
Smart performance
The Donnacha O’Brien-trained Aegina readily justified short-priced favouritism under Chris Hayes in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
Sent off 1/3 favourite, the Skara Glen Stables-owned filly was smartly into stride, tracking Institute in the early stages of the contest. Pushed along to lead over a furlong from home, the daughter of Havana Grey asserted inside the final furlong to win by three and a half lengths.
Hayes said: “She deserved it, she had the strongest form coming into it and it’s job done. It was like a piece of work to her. I was taken with her because she ran through the line and took a bit of pulling up.
“She’s going to be a lovely filly for the three-year-old sprinting division next. There is a race at Naas and the Polonia in Cork over five and a half furlongs, that’s not going to be an issue.”
DESPITE being drawn out wide, the Danny Murphy-trained Prairie Girl overcame that obstacle to run out a comfortable winner of the View Restaurant At Dundalk Handicap. Jockey Shane Foley broke well on the 13/2 chance but had to sit and suffer out wide early on.
Switched to the stands’ side over two furlongs out, the John Kirkland and Mrs Jim Ryan-owned filly quickened up well to head Whatswrongnow over 150 yards out. Stretching clear close home, the daughter of Mehmas scored by three lengths.
“That’s great. John Kirkland, lucky he stayed with me. My first winner was for him and Geraldine (Ryan), Ocean Baroque,” said Murphy. “Jim (Ryan) gave me that one to train and he said she’d win a couple for me. Jim is in hospital, so it will cheer him up.
“The last day, she missed the break a bit and we were confident today. I wasn’t worried about the draw, sometimes a wide draw here can help you as they’d kill you here on the inside. She’d probably get the six too.”
Gamble
Moyassr landed a tidy gamble for Paul Flynn when getting up close home under Nathan Crosse to win the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap. Getting in as first reserve, the Aiden Hynes-owned four-year-old was supported from a morning price of 10/1 right down to 2/1.
Held up in mid-division in the early part of the contest, the gelding was pushed along to go fifth over a furlong out. Despite running around under pressure, the son of Mehmas stuck to his task well in the closing stages, getting up on the line to beat Smaoineamh Sile a neck.
“He’s a grand horse. Aubrey McMahon sourced the horse for the lads. It was brilliant as we got him with the all-weather in mind, as they are all local enough to Dundalk,” said Flynn. “He won up here for John Kiely, and he recommended him as well to Aubrey.”
Leading Lady
The Ray Cody-trained Lady Lunete appreciated the return to handicap company when running out a game winner of the concluding Story Of Dundalk Stadium Book Buy Online Handicap.
Successful at Sligo in August, the five-year-old struggled of late when pitched into Group 3 and listed races. The Karen Curtin-owned 20/1 chance was always to the fore under Ben Coen.
Leading over a furlong out, the daughter of Buratino stayed on well inside the last 150 yards to hold Quatre Bras by three quarters of a length. Coen said: “She’s a lovely filly and I’m delighted to win on her. Back on this surface was a big help and I think that mile-and-a-half trip suits her well. I had a nice draw, sat box seat the whole way and she was good and tough up the straight.”