DAVID Marnane and Luke McAteer came out on the right side of a trio of close finishes with a 236/1 treble. Veteran Jered Maddox (11/4) appreciated dropping down to a mark of 57 in the DundalkStadium.com Handicap over six furlongs.
McAteer settled in rear of mid-division and the pair moved closer in fourth with two furlongs to race. He was asked for more in the final furlong and finished best to get up by a head close home for City Equine II Syndicate.
Marnane said: “Just delighted he got back - we were tempted to retire him, but then he ran really well the last day. In fairness, Luke gave him a brilliant ride. Luke is improving every month that goes by now, he has been riding great.”
After two placed efforts in Dundalk, 7/4 favourite Allsortz got his turn in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden. The Bated Breath gelding made virtually all for McAteer and, although strongly pressed by Real Encounter inside the final furlong, hit the line with a neck in hand for MRC International.
Sales options
The trainer said: “Again, Luke was very good on him. He could end up in the July Sale - there’s a chance he could go there, so we’ll see.”
Golddream edged out the well-backed 11/4 favourite Grand Premiere for a short head success in the Bar 1 Betting Grand National Extra Places Maiden over a mile.
McAteer brought him with a run on the stands’ side and he came through to lead inside the final furlong. Grand Premiere followed him and gave him plenty to think about in the closing stages, however, Golddream shaded the photo at 22/1 for MRC International.
“Typical of ours, they usually do (step forward on second run),” Marnane said. “We were delighted with him, he was only a couple of lengths behind Jamestown (in sixth on debut at Dundalk behind fourth-placed stablemate), who ran really well the other day (runner-up in Gowran Park).”
NEW Yorker (4/7 favourite) kept on well to make a winning debut for Aidan O’Brien in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for juveniles over the minimum trip.
Ryan Moore had the No Nay Never colt tracking the leaders and the pair ground their way to the front in the final furlong amid deteriorating weather conditions. From there, the leader stuck to his task nicely in winning by a length and a quarter for Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.
Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “Today is not ideal with the wind and rain, which is very tough for babies. He is bred to be quick, he looks quick. He will improve a tonne from this run, and he looks like an Ascot two-year-old.
“We will see how he comes out of this and it may be something like the First Flier (Curragh) or the winners’ race at Naas or the Marble Hill (Curragh).”
A step up to seven furlongs did the trick for Royal County Glory in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap. The 100/30 favourite was never far from the pace and went after the leader Methgal with a furlong to go.
He responded to Julian Pietropaolo’s urgings to catch that rival close home for a three-quarters of a length victory for owner Kevin John Smith.
Pietropaolo said: “He broke sharply and they went along a nice gallop, and I was just trying to keep him comfortable for as long as I could. He was tough and Kevin Smith (trainer) did a great job of getting him ready.”
Tormey keeps her cool aboard McCourt’s Celtic Druid
SADHBH Tormey’s patience aboard Celtic Druid in the View Restaurant Summer Offer Handicap was rewarded with a 5/1 win. The five-year-old gelding raced in rear and began to pass rivals into the straight.
He was checked in third a furlong and a half down, but it didn’t stop him taking over at the furlong pole. He then bounded in by two and a half lengths for the Pints & Punters Syndicate and Ms Denise McCourt.
Swallowed up
Tom McCourt said: “It wasn’t the plan to be that far back - we just got swallowed up from the outside, but she gave him a very cool ride after that. He did it very well, quickened up fierce well. He had been working out of his skin, and I would have been disappointed if he wasn’t thereabouts.”
Keepsgettingbetter made it two in a row on the sand in the Greyhound Racing Every Weekend Handicap. Donnacha O’Brien’s charge was up in trip to an extended 10 furlongs and Chris Hayes was back in the plate. He guided her into a share of the lead a quarter of a mile from home and the pair went on from Musashi at the furlong pole. They kept on strongly to post a two-and-a-quarter-length decision for Mrs Richard Henry and Mrs John Magnier.
Hayes said: “I actually intended to sit a little bit closer to the pace, but she missed it a beat. They went steady and I had to take my medicine. I followed Declan (McDonogh, Musashi), she was green, it is tough conditions and that with the wind. You’d love her attitude, she would die for you - everything you ask her to do, and a little bit with it.”