THE Group 3 Bar One Racing Mercury Stakes went for export to Britain as Archie Watson’s Spartan Arrow (6/1) took the honours by three quarters of a length.
The five-year-old gelding always had his sights on front-running Eclairage in this five-furlong dash and Hollie Doyle sent him on racing to the final furlong. Another British hope, West Acre, threw down a late challenge but Doyle drove Spartan Arrow home for Hambleton Racing Ltd XXXI and Partner.
Doyle said: “It was a great performance by this horse, he has been knocking on the door and he has had a few kind of hard-luck stories.
“I think it has come quite easy to him today being on the artificial surface. They can get a bit complacent when things are just going the same, really. A change of scenery can just kind of fill them up a bit, and go again.”
Eye catcher
Darkdeserthighway was an eye-catching fifth in Gowran Park last month and got her turn in the View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Apprentice Handicap over seven furlongs.
The 15/2 shot raced towards the rear and made headway on the inner in the straight for Nicola Burns. She guided her to the front outside the furlong marker and the duo were able to hold Venetian by half a length in the colours of Siobháin O’Callaghan.
Michael O’Callaghan said: “It (Gowran Park run) just showed that she has been coming back into form. This kind of tends to be her time of the year. She has a good record here and she likes the surface.
“Sometimes she just needs the race to pan out for her. It panned out well today and Nicola gave her a lovely ride around the paint.”
Third time lucky
How’sthebai (12/1) struck at the third time of asking in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden (Smullen Series) over a mile. The Bated Breath juvenile came in sixth over an extended seven-furlongs at Roscommon and over seven furlongs on his previous visit to the Polytrack.
Gary Carroll raced him in touch and the pair made headway two furlongs down. From third at the furlong pole, they stayed on well to hit the front with over 100 yards to go. The victory was secured by three quarters of a length for owner Sean Jones.
Assistant trainer Shane Lyons said: “The last day he ran he had all the signs that he wanted an extra furlong.
“Delighted to finish on a good note with him, it was nice to get him done. I was just talking to Ger (Lyons) and we will have a nice slow build-up to him next year. It has taken him all this time.
“He’s low to the ground, he loves that surface so he will like nice ground. We’ll treat him like a nice horse.”
JIMMY Dalton posted the second winner of his career aboard Kay Russell’s Sovereign Banter in the Russell Williamson Cauchemar Handicap over six furlongs.
The pair got a lovely spot from stall two and grabbed the lead approaching the final furlong. Dalton drove him in by three quarters of a length at 4/1.
Andy Slattery said: “We are going to keep going for the winter now, five and six furlongs, and keep him at it. He can only come into the handicap proper, the handicapper will give him a few pounds but he is out of the handicap.”
Rosie Frith justified 13/8 favouritism in the Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Book Now Nursery Handicap for the Kathmag Syndicate. The Cotai Glory filly was quickly into stride and made all for Patrick McGettigan over the minimum trip. She dug deep in the final furlong to prevail by half a length from a closing Final Melody.
Patrick Magee said: “She has grown up plenty, I think. She settled for the first furlong today - sometimes you kind of have to let her do her own thing, you’re not really in control.
“Today, I was worried for the first furlong as she wasn’t doing her usual early fractions, but I loved the way she quickened and quickened.
“My job is to get a bit of blacktype for them now, so I am delighted for them now.”
A SWITCH to Polytrack saw Etawa readily get off the mark for trainer Dermot Weld in the Floodlit Fridays At Dundalk Stadium Maiden over an extended mile-and-a-quarter.
Cheekpieces were applied for this assignment and the 8/1 chance made progress into the straight for Chris Hayes. She led with a quarter of a mile to race and powered home in the final furlong to open up by five and a half lengths for the estate of the late Aga Khan.
Hayes said: “I committed her good and early because I wanted her to start extending rather than trying to sprint. That’s probably been the difference. She’s a filly for next year, but unfortunately she is going to the sales. She definitely has (put herself in the shop window).”
Taking advantage
Stephen Thorne’s Independent Expert took advantage of a drop in class in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Fillies Optional Claiming Race over seven furlongs. The 85-rated mare raced handily in fifth at the halfway stage and Jack Kearney asked her to improve entering the straight.
She duly did and, from second approaching the final furlong, she reeled in Minaun with over 100 yards to go. The even-money favourite soon went on by a length and a quarter for Shamrock Thoroughbreds and Riverstown Stables.
“She got away with it (trip) today in that grade, but she is a proper miler. I think she will even get a mile and a-quarter up on this surface,” said Kearney. “She’s been great all year running in big handicaps. Just a drop in grade got her confidence up.” Runner-up Minaun View was claimed by Paul Hardman to be trained by Noel Kelly.