JOCKEY Jack Kearney was in double-winning form on Ladies’ Day at a sun-kissed Dundalk.

The opening five-furlong handicap looked ultra-competitive on paper and Eclairage adopted her usual trailblazing tactics. She was some three lengths clear at the furlong pole, but Kerdos and Kearney hadn’t given up the chase and finished best to catch her in the final strides to score by half a length at 17/2 for owners Michael Scaife, Liam Ferguson, Simon Murphy and H.S. Khunkhuna.

Stephen Thorne said: “We knew there was going to be plenty of pace on paper and we decided, with a wide draw, we would take our time through it.

“He’s a horse that has obviously lost a lot of confidence there over the last couple of months on the turf. These sprinters need to have plenty of confidence in order to figure at the business end.

“Meanwhile, he was dropping plenty in the weights and it has definitely helped us, so I’m hoping that he will have turned a corner after that today.”

Straightforward

Kearney teamed up with Ciaran Murphy’s Baila Conmigo (8/1) to land the Fairways Hotel Dundalk Apprentice Handicap over a mile and a half.

The four-year-old gelding travelled close to the pace and took over after three furlongs. He was kept up to his work in the final furlong to see off Celtic Druid by half a length for the Rossie’s and Co Syndicate.

Kearney said: “Ciaran just told me to keep it simple from a nice draw and there wasn’t anyone taking me along, so I let him roll away to the front. I got it easy in front and I started building a long way out, because I knew he doesn’t have a turn of foot. He just galloped out through the line.”

TOM McCourt had to settle for second against Baila Conmigo, but Bullet Bourbon (33/1) delivered in the seven-furlong handicap, sponsored by Racing TV.

Robert Whearty settled her in rear of mid-division before making good headway two furlongs out. She came with a challenge at the furlong marker and hit the front in the closing stages to strike by half a length for owner/breeders David Daly, Gerard Shevlin and D. Battersby.

The jockey said: “I suppose the main thing was just trying to get her into some sort of a rhythm which she just finds hard to do.

“There today, everything kind of worked out fine. She did (finish off well) - when she relaxes, she is well able to do it.”

Clear-cut

Movin And Groovin was another big-priced winner when claiming the QuinnBet Handicap over a mile at 25/1 for owners Amy and Olivia Marnane.

Making her first start for David Marnane after a lengthy absence, the Cotai Glory filly disputed a furlong out and got on top close home to win by a head.

Jockey Nathan Crosse said: “She loves up here; she has done her winning up here and has been placed up here.

“I always said that I thought she did very well to win over six (furlongs) here last year - she’s seven (furlongs) to a mile. She always keeps finding for you - she had to dig deep there today, but David, Con (Marnane) and the whole team had her ready.”

KRASIMIR (13/8) rewarded favourite backers in the Anglo Printers - Award-Winning Print And Packaging Maiden for Ger Lyons, and owners David Spratt and Mrs Lynne Lyons.

Placed no less than five times on turf, the Mehmas gelding was always to the fore on his all-weather debut. Colin Keane made his move a quarter of a mile out and the three-year-old kept on well to beat Karrygrant by a length and a quarter.

Keane said: “To be fair to him, he is fairly versatile I’d say surface-wise. He had form on slow ground and, with the heat, that surface rides a bit slower, so that probably helps him.

“He has been knocking on the door - a mile and blinkers are a big help to him.”

Improver

Police Gazette (5/1) upset 1/2 favourite Reynir with a decisive victory in the Border Boutique Hire Maiden over an extended 10 furlongs.

Gavin Ryan sent Donnacha O’Brien’s representative into an early lead and he cranked up the pressure approaching the final furlong. Runner-up Reynir could make no impression as he sailed in by three and three-quarter lengths for owner/breeder Joseph Allen.

Ryan said: “His first run (9th, Dundalk) was his worst. His next (3rd, Dundalk) he improved and he stepped forward again here today.

“He’s a big, raw type and he’s still only learning. Headgear (blinkers and tongue-strap) was more so just to wake him up.”

Clear-cut

Joseph O’Brien’s Duvessa was a cut above her rivals in the fillies’ maiden over the extended 10 furlongs for owner Miss A.H. Marshall.

The 8/13 favourite tracked the leaders and was asked for more in the straight. The four-year-old led a furlong and a half out and stretched away to win by six and a half lengths.

Dylan Browne McMonagle said: “They quickened off the bottom of the straight and I just had to keep her up to her work, but it was never really in doubt once we straightened up and she got into top gear. Hopefully she is not done with winning.”