A TREMENDOUS season for Johnny Murtagh just gets better and better and potential Dubai Carnival candidate Hawke, who has rapidly developed into a high-class polytrack performer, provided him with another notable triumph in the Listed Carlingford Stakes.

One of a number of Ballygallon Stud-owned horses to switch successfully from France to Ireland during the summer, Hawke has done especially well in four starts for Murtagh. He won a premier handicap over this extended 10 furlongs in August and again showed his liking for Dundalk to finish a close third in a Group 3 last month.

That calibre of form saw the four-year-old returned the 5/4 favourite under a confident Pat Smullen, who bided his time before producing Hawke with a smooth challenge from the turn in. Hawke cruised to the front over a furlong from home and when he came under strong pressure he maintained an unfaltering gallop to keep the strong travelling Elusive Heights at bay. Hard as he tried the latter couldn’t quite get on terms with the market leader and he went down by one and three-quarter lengths.

“He’s in the horses in training sale at Newmarket later in the month but I think he might just be a horse for Dubai,” commented Murtagh. “Pat said he handles this surface really well and he felt he got there a little soon but had all the momentum at that stage and maintained that.”

For good measure, Smullen and Murtagh followed-up with Lunada (9/4) in the first division of the 45-65 rated 10-furlong handicap. The Raven’s Pass filly produced a brave effort under top weight as she made the running and fought on tenaciously in the last furlong to hold Society Ranger by a head.

Murtagh, whose charge is owned by the A To Z Partnership, commented: “She’s been a slow learner but she’s clicking into gear now. She got a break with a winter campaign here in mind and she’ll hopefully be competitive again stepping up in trip.”

STRONG

Tommy Stack’s Hurricane Cass again showed his liking for the polytrack as he bolted up in the mile handicap. The 100/30 favourite has recorded all three of his wins at this track and he looked to have his rivals covered from early in the straight.

The strong-travelling four-year-old picked up well for Wayne Lordan when he was switched out from behind the leaders with over a furlong to run. He soon held a useful lead which saw him cross the line two and a quarter lengths clear of 25/1 chance Secret Wizard.

“He enjoys that surface and last time out (third to Spruce Meadows) he ran well from a wide draw in a very competitive handicap,” commented Lordan of the JSC Kasandros Grupe-owned gelding. “Anything from a mile to a mile and a quarter is fine for him.”

It was a night to remember for Brazilian-born rider Robson Aguiar as She’s Ranger gave the jockey his first Irish winner in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden. The Adrian Murray-owned and trained filly was allowed to go off at 20/1 despite having run with considerable promise on her debut at this track last month.

Aguiar, who rode over 100 winners in his homeland, produced the Bushranger filly to lead with around a furlong to run and the pair held off Desert Dancer by half a length.

“She had a grand run here the first night but was a big price as she was coming from a small yard,” reflected Murray. “Robson has been riding out for me for the last six months and he advised me to buy her in the spring, he said she was a nice filly. This is my first year having runners on the flat and she’s my first two-year-old runner.”

50TH WINNER

Ger Lyons made it 50 winners for the season as Room To Roam (11/4), who had been placed on his four previous outings, ran out a game winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Median Auction Maiden.

The closing stages of this seven-furlong contest served up quite a tussle between the winner and Cape Of Eagles. The pair were inseparable for most of the last furlong but Colin Keane’s mount shaded the bobbing finish by a short-head.

“He wants a mile and the trip was definitely a furlong shy for him so we made a call to put blinkers on him to sharpen him up, which worked,” stated Lyons of the Sean Jones-owned colt. “He’s a mile and a quarter horse for next year and that will be it for the season.”

Colin Keane then made it a double on To Choose (6/1), who recorded his sixth career win in the mile and a half handicap. The Tom Gibney stalwart, whose run here the previous week was his first at the track for three and a half years, was nicely placed on the heels of the leaders turning for home. The Leonard Kinsella-owned and bred seven-year-old then got on top well over a furlong out en route to a length and a half triumph over the joint top-weight Carried.

“We said we’d give him another run here before leaving him off,” remarked Gibney. “Now he’s won I’m not sure whether to stick to the plan or give him another run. He’s really a summer horse and this is a great facility for those horses that want good ground.”

Specific Gravity (5/1) made it three wins from 21 starts this year in the second division of the 45-65 rated 10-furlong handicap. Ronan Whelan was on board the vastly experienced eight-year-old for the first time and had him nicely placed throughout the race. The top weight responded well to his rider’s promptings to take charge over the last furlong.

“I sold him to Sean Gallagher a while back and I’m delighted for him. He loves these horses and gets great fun from them,” declared Adrian McGuinness. “He’s a tricky ride but Ronan was top class on him, he was patient and quiet which suited the horse very well.”

Evan Daly rode the second winner of his career as John Murphy’s Appointment Only sprung a 25/1 surprise in the apprentice handicap. Appointment Only, who was making his handicap debut, was among a number of runners that went in pursuit of Fairy Foxglove early in the straight. For a period it looked as though the Armada Racing Partnership-owned gelding would have to settle for a minor role but he came out the right side of a three-way finish, defeating Dark Alliance and Fairy Foxglove by a head and the same.

ACTING STEWARDS

P.N. Reynolds, R. Dore, F. Cahill, S. Collins, P.D. Matthews

HORSE TO FOLLOW

GORANE (H. de Bromhead): This Dream Ahead filly ran quite a nice race on her debut to finish sixth behind She’s Ranger. She looked quite green at various stages and, with normal progress, she could challenge strongly for a similar event in the coming weeks.