THE Winter Series Awards Day at Dundalk featured eight races with all bar one of them being handicaps for horses that had run at least once at the Co Louth venue since November.
Each of these contests had a value of €20,000, up from €15,000 the previous year, and trainer David Marnane saddled a double with course specialist Jered Maddox (9/1), an appropriate winner of the opener over the minimum distance.
Owned by the City Equine II Syndicate, the nine-year-old came from off a strong pace to wear down Sporting Hero close home for a half-length verdict under Luke McAteer.
It was a ninth win at Dundalk for the Lawman gelding and trainer David Marnane said: “He’s a great old horse and over five furlongs it just depends on the pace, he does roll home well. He’s two for two in Laytown and we would like to go back there and see if we could do three for three.”
The race was marred by an injury to Crystal Luna over a furlong from home. Jockey Nicola Burns got to her feet after being unseated. Ronan Whelan was given a day ban for the incident.
McAteer also did the steering on Marnane’s Amemri (9/2), who led close home to deny My Girl Sioux by a neck in the six-furlong handicap.
Melanie Marnane’s daughter of Time Test was completing a four-timer after three course wins over seven furlongs and the winning trainer said: “Luke is a very, very good rider.
“Tactically, he is becoming much better aware and it is coming together.
“She is a lovely filly and is in great fettle. She is also quite effective on the turf.”
Boyne flows on to another win
SUNRISEONTHEBOYNE (10/1) got on top inside the final furlong to land the three-year-old handicap over seven furlongs.
The Cotai Glory gelding, owned and trained by Michael Mulvany, had won twice over a mile here during the winter and was prominent throughout under Wesley Joyce, before forging clear to beat Scarlet Widow by a length and a quarter.
Mick Mulvany said: “We rode him more positively tonight. I reckon he should stay a mile and two and we are happy with the way that he is improving. He has won with a little bit of give in the ground and we will be hoping that he will be out somewhere on the turf.”
Trained in his younger days by Mulvany, Comfort Line (6/1) gained his sixth Dundalk success since joining Ado McGuinness a couple of years ago, when landing the seven-furlong handicap for older horses.
The eight-year-old, owned by Dooley Thoroughbreds and Martin White, responded to Adam Caffrey’s urgings in the straight and hit the front inside the final furlong to repel Shoot To Kill by half a length.
Super horse
“He has rock-solid form and has been a super horse,” said McGuinness. “Adam rode his first winner in those colours as an apprentice and that is his first winner as a pro tonight, so it is great. The Dooley boys have stuck by Adam and he has repaid them.”
The only non-handicap of the evening was the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden, in which Currawood landed odds of 4/9 in comfortable fashion.
Rated 95 after three placed efforts at two, the son of Acclamation raced close to the pace under Billy Lee and led over a furlong out to beat Edge Of Mali by a length and a quarter.
Paddy Twomey, who trains the winner for Glyn Davies, said: “He ran to a good level last year. He’s a good-actioned horse and I thought the track would suit. He’ll probably go for a winners’ race next.”
THERE was a furious pace in the one-mile handicap and the Joseph Murray-trained Master Garvey (14/1) came from mid-division to lead close home for a half-length success over Ferrari Desert.
The five-year-old is owned by Patrick O’Brien, Larry Murray, Richard Walsh and Derek Cummins and was recording the second victory of his career.
Winning rider Chris Hayes said: “I was actually meant to be a little bit handier, but the horse beside me upset my guy in the stalls and it worked out, as they went frenetic.”
A course maiden winner over a mile, the Stuart Crawford-trained Annaghmccanns (10/1) came from well off the pace to win the extended 10-furlong handicap under Wayne Lordan.
The Kuroshio mare, bred by Fergus Cumiskey and owned by his wife Sandra, had a dozen rivals ahead of her on the home turn, but powered home down the stands’ side to beat Tribal Star by three-parts of a length.
Stable representative Ross Crawford said: “She’s a wee trier and, to be honest, it wasn’t Plan A. When you have a boy with the experience of Wayne on, sure B, C, D and E are left up to him!
“You’d imagine there is no reason why she will not get a bit further.”
First win back
Ross Coakley partnered his first winner since recently returning from Britain when Waystar (20/1) shed her maiden tag in the mile and a half handicap.
The daughter of Postponed, owned by Rockview Stables and trained by John McConnell, came from mid-division and led inside the final furlong to beat market leader Porsche Lad by three-parts of a length.
Coakley said: “She had run plenty of promising races and John was confident that she was in a better place going into today’s run.”
On his link-up with Jim Bolger, he added: “When the opportunity came about to base myself back in Ireland again, I was happy to take it.
“To be associated with Mr Bolger is a big thing for me. A very prestigious yard and a legend of a man. I’m enjoying being part of the team and he has been very supportive of me.”