REESE Holohan registered a first double at Dundalk on Friday where the apprentice jockey partnered his initial winner for his employer, trainer Mark Fahey, on frustrating Daonethatgotaway (9/2) in Dundalk’s New Saddle Bar Handicap.

Earlier successful on the Denis Hogan-trained The Liffey, Holohan produced Daonethatgotaway from mid-division to eventually lead inside the final furlong, scoring by a neck from Benavente.

Fahey said: “The owners (Up The Blues Syndicate) are a great bunch of lads and they love it.

“We have been unlucky with him, though, so the horse deserves it more than anything else. We were finishing second and third, and second and third, and had a few hard luck stories.

“He has won on soft ground as well, so we don’t know where we are going to go. As long as he stays running like that, we’ll stay going.”

Initiating the double

Seven-pound-claimer Holohan had earlier steered The Liffey (16/5) to win the opening Irishinjuredjockeys.com Claiming Race for Hogan, and owner James McAuley.

By No Nay Never, The Liffey initially scored twice for trainer Aidan O’Brien and, having resumed winning ways for the current team on February 13th, followed up with a neck success over Platino Bianco.

McAuley mentioned: “The Liffey is now at a level far lower than what Aidan (O’Brien) and Joseph (O’Brien, previous trainers) work at, but it doesn’t bother me winning these claimers.

“We definitely have no lofty ambitions about him winning bigger races, so I can tip away and win small claimers with him.”

Completed

Hogan completed a double of his own landing the Book Online @ DundalkStadium.com Maiden with Oxford Circus (11/1), who scored under English apprentice jockey, Elizabeth Gale.

Having landed the Ladies’ Derby last June, Gale secured her second recent Dundalk success, when producing Oxford Circus to a last-gasp short-head success from Jampa Ling.

Gale reported: “I’m very lucky, Denis is very good to me and is putting me on the right ones as well, so the credit really goes to him and his work at home with all the lads. I think the penny really dropped today, Oxford Circus was probably still a little novicey the first couple of times, but still ran creditably.”

THERE were two smart performances on the night, beginning with Amo Racing’s American-bred Blanc De Blanc’s (7/2 favourite) success in the Patton Race for trainer Robson De Aguiar and jockey Donagh O’Connor.

The daughter of Not This Time quickened well in the home straight to score easily by three lengths from 81-rated Whatchadoin.

Owner Amo’s representative Ryan McElligott said: “That was a nice effort beating the colts, so I suppose we will raise our sights now.

“She could go straight to a Guineas - we put her in the French, she is in the Curragh, and Newmarket closes on Monday, so we will put her in that.

“We don’t know about turf yet, but the sire’s progeny (Not This Time) are quite effective on turf, so I don’t think turf will be a concern.

“She is exciting and Donagh (O’Connor) was very happy.”

Billy’s brace

An hour and a half later, Willie Mullins’ Frankel-sired hurdler Gaucher (10/11 favourite) impressively landed the Floodlit Fridays At Dundalk Stadium Race, when providing jockey Bill Lee with the second leg of a double.

The triple Grade 3-winner has recently taken very well to the all-weather surface and he dismissed stronger rivals when scoring by five and a half lengths.

Lee reported: “Gaucher carried me everywhere, he picked up into the straight and I was able to afford to sit another 50 yards without going for everything.

“It was hands and heels then, and he won as he liked.

“I told the owners (the Boyds) that a mile and a quarter is no problem and is a good option to have.”

Lee had earlier steered his first winner of 2026 on the Eddie Lynam-trained Iff In Doubt (7/2 favourite), in the Winter Series Leading Trainer & Jockey Championship Handicap.

Held up in mid-division, the three-year-old was produced late to lead close home, defeating One Cool Bear by a short head.

Regarding the Cheeky Pups Syndicate’s winner, Lynam revealed: “Billy was available, which surprised me, as his agent rang to say he could do 8st 13lb, as he’s on a new diet or something! He was strong on him there and it was a lovely ride.

“He has been running well and I think there’s another race here for him soon.”

DECLAN McDonogh appropriately partnered a winner for Jim Bolger, in the same week his dad Des announced his retirement from training, steering Neo Smart (9/1) to win the Bar 1 Betting Handicap.

McDonogh improved Neo Smart from mid-field to lead inside the final furlong, eventually scoring by a length and a quarter from Leopold The First.

Regarding his father, McDonogh stated: “I’m delighted he retired, as I had been on to him for a while to do it. It became hardship with the grind of driving and everything, and doing the job of seven on your own, with my sister Shona.

“Until you become a father yourself, you don’t appreciate what your parents do for you and mine gave me super opportunities to get me started.”

Regarding Neo Smart, Bolger’s travelling head man Ger Flynn added: “Her last two runs up here have been very consistent. Hopefully, we can find something for her in the next couple of weeks and go on again.”

Off the mark

The concluding Put The Fun Into Fundraising At Dundalk Maiden was won by the Natalia Lupini-trained, O’Kelly-family-owned Sutton Hoo (15/8), who scored on his all-weather debut.

Stuck in the mud on heavy ground when last seen at Listowel last September, Sutton Hoo was well-found as the 15/8 favourite for Friday’s return and, under jockey Wayne Lordan, battled gamely for a head win from Path To Power.

Lupini said: “As a two-year-old, we thought that soft ground could have helped, but [in] hindsight, turned out it was probably a mistake running at Listowel. We have learned from these things.

“We were very happy with him throughout the winter and, when he worked up here during the winter, he loved the surface.”