SKY Watch (5/1) looks a nice three-year-old prospect for Michael O’Callaghan next season after a decisive victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over a mile.
One of two juvenile winners on the card for Starman, Jamie Powell’s mount raced in second and headed front-running 2/5 favourite Guardian Of Realm a furlong out before lengthening clear to beat that rival by two and three-quarter lengths.
Michael O’Callaghan, who trains the £80,000 breeze-up purchase for the Star Watch Partnership, reported: “She’s probably the best filly I’ve had all year.
“I’ve had to be patient with her. She was sick after the first day at the Curragh in what has turned out to be a very good maiden. She needed a break after that.
“She was only 75% going to Galway (finished third there in October) and it was a lovely run. I was thinking of putting her away after that and, she was just so well after it, I said we would come here and try and get her maiden out of the way.
“She is still quite immature physically and will do well over the winter. She is well above average and is a filly for a trial in the spring.”
Held on
The Ger Lyons-trained Evening Blues (3/1) just held on for a narrow success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Colts and Geldings) Maiden.
Owned and bred by Moyglare Stud Farm, the Blue Point two-year-old hit the front entering the straight and, despite edging right inside the final furlong, clung on for a short-head victory over Minella Rocket.
Rider Jack Kearney said: “He’s after coming there now since being gelded and loves this surface.
“I think he will mix it between seven furlongs and a mile, but there today he looks like a proper miler.”
Melody on song
The other juvenile contest on the card saw Final Melody (11/8 favourite) snap a sequence of three runner-up spots in a row with an emphatic victory in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Nursery over five furlongs.
Soon in front, the winner readily asserted for Seamie Heffernan on the approach to the final furlong and scored by three lengths from Ninth Crusade.
The Starman filly is trained by Natalia Lupini for owners Gary Devlin, Kevin Osborne, Trevor Dalzell and Tracey Wylie.
Assistant trainer Craig Bryson said: “Early in the year she was too keen, but she has grown up and is more professional.
“She jumped and did everything right, galloped to the line, and might get six furlongs.
“I’d imagine she’ll be on the team for next year and we will run away with her here at Dundalk if she is well.”
YOUNG rider Tommie Jakes was fondly remembered after Little Empire (5/1) won the Bar One Lotto Rated Race over seven furlongs.
Patrick McGettigan’s mount grabbed the lead in the final 100 yards and hit the line three-quarters of a length in front of Ribble Emperor.
Trainer Anthony McCann said of Anthony Lowry’s five-year-old: “I’ve to thank Luke McAteer who told me the last time to put Patrick on him to claim the 7lb off, and that that would be massive for him.
“We have to take our hats off to Tommie Jakes, who rode him to win in Wolverhampton last year. Tommie rode a double for me that night.
“Young Tommie was buried today and we’d like to dedicate this win to him.”
Familiar silks
The orange silks of James McAuley have been carried to success with great regularity at Dundalk in recent weeks and Lismacbryan Hill (7/2 fav) added to the former trainer’s run of success when landing the (0-60) six-furlong handicap under Shane Foley.
Claimed from Paddy Magee’s yard after winning on the beach at Laytown in August, the Kuroshio filly made the running until narrowly headed by Rift Valley over a furlong out.
That rival lost a bit of momentum when appearing to jump some footprints in the Polytrack surface inside the final furlong and Lismacbryan Hill led again close home to score by a head.
McAuley said of the Denis Hogan-trained winner: “Shane was very good on her, he got it easy enough in front and it’s the first time she has had a decent draw.”
OWNED and trained by Bill Durkan, Cherry Pink (14/1) recorded the fifth win of her career in the Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Stadium Apprentice Handicap.
The Elzaam mare had provided Jamie Orr with his first winner when landing a similar contest over this extended 10-furlong trip in October and the Donegal teenager again got a good tune out of his partner as she scored by half a length from Ozark Daze.
Assistant trainer Gary Bannon said: “Jamie rides her every day and knows her well. She was bought for him to learn and he’s starting to learn now.
“Hopefully, some people will start to give him a little opportunity. He got a bad fall pony racing and took a little bit of time out.
“His cousins (Conor and Oisin Orr) asked me would I take him and teach him a bit and we’ll try and get him up the ladder a bit.”
Prayer answers
Third on all-weather and handicap debut here earlier in the month, Power Of Prayer (3/1) appreciated the step-up to a mile and a half as she took the Safer Gambling Week 2025 Handicap.
The home-bred daughter of Protectionist, trained by Joseph O’Brien for Power Thoroughbreds PTY Limited, came from off the pace to beat Mr Mills by half a length. “She is coming to herself,” said winning rider Declan McDonogh.
“She has a good attitude and tries hard. When I gave her a squeeze, she put her head on the floor, which is always a help.”