DECLAN McDonogh continues to rack up the winners for the winter series at Dundalk and he shared the honours on this Friday evening card with Ronan Whelan as they both rode doubles.

Winter all-weather 2019/2020 saw Whelan top the table, but McDonogh could be difficult to match this time. The former champion jockey’s brace here included the featured Test Your Tipping Talents At punters.hollywoodbets.com Every Dundalk Meeting Rated Race on Pulse Of Shanghai (100/30).

The Dr Tan Kai Chah and Geraldine Ryan-owned, and Kieran Cotter-trained gelding was making it three-in-a-row over seven furlongs at this venue, the hat-trick achieved by one and three-quarter lengths from Master Matt.

“He beat a horse of ours, Strong Johnson, last year when Jim (Ryan) trained him and he went up to 91 so maybe we are underestimating this fella,” said Cotter.

“He was quick out of the gates there and Declan was fantastic on him. He gets a good tune out of him.”

McDonogh double

The opening race on the programme saw McDonogh team up with the Joseph O’Brien’s 8/13 shot, Ratib, and Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi’s juvenile got the job done in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

The successful son of Frankel built on a promising debut fifth placing over the course and distance a fortnight before, accounting for Bear Story by half a length.

“I thought he won with a bit in hand, pulling up a little bit at the line,” reported McDonogh. “He progressed well from his first run and hopefully it should be onwards and upwards with him, I like him.”

Whelan scoops up concluding races

AFTER two thirds, a second, and a sixth placing on a favourite earlier, Ronan Whelan rounded off the night in style with successes in the closing couple of races.

In the second split of Crowne Plaza Hotel Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Handicap Whelan partnered Noirvento (5/4 favourite) for the Altar Ego Syndicate and Tracey Collins.

After the Le Cadre Noir mare came from last to first to score by three-quarters of a length from Fit For Function the Conyngham Lodge trainer said: “Her owners are great, they have persevered with her and she’s had a good season for them. Ronan gave her a lovely ride, coming from last to first. They went very hard early on and she finishes very well. I’m delighted with her.”

The Whelan two-timer came in at odds of 17/1 as Too Hard To Hold, fifth here four days earlier, defeated Kuwait Direction and Tommy Taylor by half a length and a short head in the Follow Us On Twitter @DundalkStadium Handicap.

Up front though there was to be no denying Too Hard To Hold (7/1).

Jack Davison has care of the Camacho three-year-old for Garrett Freyne. Another from the ‘classic generation,’ Mrs Bouquet, also won for this owner/trainer/rider combination at Dundalk 11 days earlier.

ASIDE from Declan McDonogh and Ronan Whelan, the apprentices generally held sway. Sam Ewing, Cian MacRedmond and Adam Farragher all got in on the act.

For MacRedmond his victory was probably most significant as it was a first since relocating home to Ireland. He landed the Join Us On Instagram @dundalk_stadium Handicap aboard Eglish (13/2) for Shamrock Thoroughbreds and Ado McGuinness.

A fourth success overall in his native land for MacRedmond, who only recently took up employment with McGuinness, the apprentice looks sure to substantially build on winners already achieved when in Britain, principally for Declan Carroll.

Staying on well in the final furlong, Eglish was all out close home to contain ‘finisher’, Crystal Dawn (slowly away), by a neck. McGuinness also had the third, Never Back Down.

“Cian only started with me two weeks ago. He’s come home from England and it’s a great way to start,” reflected McGuinness. “He works hard and is a good kid to ride. I think he’ll do very well here in the next year of two.”

Sisters’ triumph

John Murphy and Sam Ewing combined for a first win when Crescent Lake (6/1), owned by sisters Paola Hewins and Olivia Hoare, bagged the DundalkStadium.com Handicap.

Ewing reported afterwards that his mount hung right under pressure but that didn’t stop him as he accounted for market-leader Happaugue (evens) by two and a half lengths.

Owner/trainer Michael Browne derived great pleasure from the display of Keepthebestsideout in division one of Crowne Plaza Hotel Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Handicap, as the Dandy Man filly is now a maiden no more after 14 starts.

Adam Farragher got the 6/1 winner home by half a length and the same from Pillar and Jered Maddox prompting the Co Tipperary restricted licence holder to say: “I love a winner. I just have four horses and I do it for sport. That’s brilliant because it’s so hard to win. She was knocking on the door and she was due that.”

Gary Carroll finished seventh on Bay Of Skaill and he got a one-day ban for moving across before reaching the marker poles.

The All The Right Faces Syndicate and trainer Shane Crawley have a nice horse on their hands as 22/1 shot Iva Feeling looked smart in attaining a two-and-a-half-length win in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Fillies Maiden.

Runner-up and front runner Fictitious Lady had no answer when headed by Robbie Colgan’s mount, Iva Feeling, under a furlong out.

“I’m hoping I can get a bit of blacktype to make a broodmare out of her,” said Crawley on the three-year-old, coming on nicely from a Leopardstown debut last month.

“That’s the first horse the syndicate have had with me, so I suppose we got lucky.”