I’M Spartacus (5/1 from 12s early) completed a fifth double of the winter campaign for Ado McGuinness, as he led home 11 rivals in the Floodlit Friday Nights At Dundalk Stadium Handicap.

Breaking smartly and soon settled behind the leaders by Adam Caffrey, the now six-time winner came with his challenge between horses from early in the straight. The Paddy and Conor McKeever-owned five-year-old kept finding for pressure and ultimately came home a length and a quarter to the good. The Dublin handler initiated his 53/1 brace with Una Matata in the New Saddle Bar At Dundalk Stadium Handicap.

Registering her fourth course win since December, the Mark Devlin, Mark McGuckin and Claire Wylie-owned five-year-old was returned at 8/1.

Settled towards rear by Ronan Whelan, the 69-rated bay made progress from early in the straight and was angled towards the nearside with over a furlong to go. Soon coming with her challenge, she ultimately got the better of Mehman by half a length.

“If you had asked me, I’d have probably said she was the least fancied of the three. She has plenty of ability though,” McGuinness, who also saddled Nikki Swango (13th) and Clonmacash (7th), disclosed.

Staying success

An 18th winner of the winter campaign for Denis Hogan, Riyami outstayed his rivals in the Bar 1 Betting Best Odds Guaranteed Overnight In Shop & Online (Q.R.) Handicap.

Providing Harry Swan with his first success at the venue, the well-backed 15/2 chance (from 25s early) was slightly slow into stride and raced towards rear in the colours of the Carthy, Rogers and O’Brien Partnership.

Making gradual progress on the outer and ridden with less than two furlongs to go, he ultimately saw it out best, getting to the front inside the final 100 yards before going on to beat Echinacea by a length.

“Denis has done a great job with him,” Swan enthused. “I thought I might have left it a little bit late a furlong down, but he hit the line strong.”

Partnering the runner-up, Erin Dunseath picked up bans totalling 10 days for using her whip with excessive frequency, while also failing to give her mount sufficient time to respond.

IN the opening Irishinjuredjockeys.com Claiming Race, Apiary, who was in for €13,000, deservedly made the breakthrough in this seven-furlong heat.

From early shows of 9/4, the Kevin Coleman-trained bay came in for strong market support and was eventually returned the 11/10 favourite in the colours of Harry Redknapp, Brian Sheerin, Noel Hayes and Kim Coleman.

Settled behind the leaders by Julian Pietropaolo, she was angled out to challenge with a furlong and a half to go and it wasn’t long before she made her way to the front, extending her advantage in the closing stages to win by a length and a half.

“She was probably unlucky not to win before this,” Coleman reflected. “I think Harry (Redknapp) had a good few quid on her today. I hope he did anyway!”

Celtic Druid (12/1 from 16s) was another to come home a length and a half to the good, with this Tom McCourt-trained five-year-old getting the better of 13 rivals in the Willie Buckley Memorial Apprentice Handicap.

Providing Sadhbh Tormey with a third success, the 48-rated son of Churchill edged to the front from the two-furlong pole and ultimately found plenty for pressure in the closing stages.

“Sadhbh rides very well. She took a good hold of him early on and he enjoyed every bit of it,” McCourt, who trains the winner for his daughter Denise and the Pints and Punters Syndicate, enthused.

SECOND in the 1000 Guineas at the Curragh last May, California Dreamer outclassed five rivals in the concluding Put The Fun Into Fundraising At Dundalk Race. On her first start for Robson De Aguiar, and owned by his wife Giselle and Amo Racing Limited, the 104-rated bay was given a patient ride by Rowan Scott, as stable companion, Spicy Margarita, blazed a trail out in front. Making smooth headway on the inner approaching the straight, she quickly settled matters coming home two and a quarter lengths clear of Stephen Thorne’s Instant Appeal.

“Rowan was very happy with her and I think we will go on to the Curragh for the Park Express Stakes now,” Ryan McElligott, representing Amo Racing, reflected.

Thorne was earlier on the mark with the easy-to-back Son Of Beauty (3/1 from 6/4 early) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden.

With Jack Kearney aboard, the Riverstown Stables-owned bay got a nice run through on the inner early in the straight and soon improved to challenge the front-running Egyptian Pharoah.

Scrappy

The pair had a good scrap from the furlong pole and there was just a head between them at the line.

“He’s bred to get a lot further and he might be worth an entry for the Madrid at Naas,” Thorne divulged.

It was more clear-cut for Bella Colombia in the Dundalk Winter Series Leading Trainer & Jockey Championship Handicap, with this one providing Willie McCreery with his first success of the year.

A winner on debut in August of 2023, but failing to follow-up in 22 subsequent starts, the five-year-old was returned a 7/1 chance in the colours of the COR Racing Syndicate.

Meandering her way through the field in the straight and hitting the front inside the final 200 yards, the 59-rated bay kept on well from there to score by a length and a quarter.

“We were just a little bit worried about the mile trip beforehand, but she got it very well and hopefully, she can go in again,” winning rider Billy Lee commented.