A RACE that was meant to provide Romanised with a winning swansong in Ireland instead saw Saltonstall continue his relentless rise up the ratings in the Test You Tipping Talents at Punters.Hollywood.Com Every Dundalk Meeting Race.

Beforehand, this mile event revolved around the dual Group 1 winner Romanised, who was looking to bounce back from a couple of below par runs in France in the early autumn.

However, the five-year-old could only manage third behind Saltonstall (9/4) who is in the form of his life.

The Adrian McGuinness stable star won his second Com Quinn Mile this summer but has taken things to a new level lately with an impressive handicap success at Limerick and a listed victory at Naas before this debut on Polytrack.

At the weights, Saltonstall, who is owned by Dooley Thoroughbreds and Bart O’Sullivan, was only a couple of pounds wrong with Romanised on ratings, and he had the notable assistance of Sam Ewing’s 7lb claim.

Even though he missed the break, Romanised cruised to the front with well over a furlong to run.

However, he was unable to quicken in trademark fashion and he was then headed by the winner.

At the line Saltonstall had three-quarters of a length to spare over Harpocrates who stayed on to secure second ahead of the favourite.

“He will have a break now. Lingfield on Good Friday could be a possibility but I think we might instead target stakes races on soft ground at the start of next season,” said McGuinness.

St George’s Head, who was rated 71 when he first began life in handicaps last year, took advantage of a career-low mark of 48 and first-time cheekpieces to land the first division of the 45-65 rated handicap over seven furlongs.

Declan McDonogh made most of the running on Kieran Cotter’s charge who lasted home to defeat Tyrconnell by three-quarters of a length. The 9/2 shot is owned by the Celtic Racing Club.

McDonogh promptly followed up on the Eddie Lynam-owned and trained Linus Larrabee (16/5) in the second division of the 45-65 rated handicap.

A runner-up in maidens at Naas and Navan in recent weeks, this ground versatile son of Slade Power was quite at home as he reverted to handicaps.

He led with over a furlong to run and stuck to his task to hold off Power Of Lazarus by a length.

JOSEPH O’Brien secured both two-year-old maidens on the card and he has a lovely type on his hands in Isle Of Sark (5/6) who won the median auction maiden over seven furlongs. This Kitten’s Joy colt impressed when winning a barrier trial here in July and was subsequently purchased out of Charles O’Brien’s yard.

On his debut for the Long Wait Two Partnership, the bay was a different class to these opponents. He cruised through the race, led over a furlong out and only needed to be nudged out by jockey Trevor Whelan to score by four lengths. He can assuredly hold his own in smart company next year.

This victory represented a welcome change of luck for Whelan who was notching up his first winner since relocating back to Ireland.

“He’s a big, strong horse and a lovely prospect. Everyone liked him at home and he’s won very easily. He’s a lovely horse to look forward to,” he said afterwards.

Earlier, the O’Brien-trained Charmed (7/4) made it two winners within a week for jockey Alan Persse in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over the minimum trip. The 86-rated colt, who had shown a good level of form to reach the first four in four of his five outings, broke alertly to lead and he had this race in safe keeping from some way out.

The EuroLindy Syndicate-owned winner defeated Twilight Man by four lengths in a time that was almost a second quicker than that of the older horses in the following sprint handicap.

Eye shield

Owner-trainer Reggie Roberts worked the oracle with the 17-race maiden Dee Sprinter (18/1) in the 45-70 rated handicap over five furlongs. The Oisin Orr-ridden four-year-old was sporting an eye shield for the first time and was able to sit just behind a decent enough early pace which saw six horses abreast at the head of the field.

One of those was the favourite Maggie Thunder and it was only well inside the last furlong that she gave best to Dee Sprinter who carried the day to win by a short-head.

McConnell winners keep rolling home

JOHN McConnell has maintained his excellent form from the turf season and he followed up three victories on the Polytrack last week by notching up a double. The first to strike for the trainer was Jack Berry House in the 45-70 rated handicap over a mile. The 5/2 favourite, beaten just a nose here last Wednesday, was ridden by Shane Foley and he led around a furlong from home before reaching the line with half a length to spare over the staying-on Well Suited.

The Every Cloud Syndicate-owned winner won this with something to spare.

The brace was completed by Dame Rapide (7/1) and Siobhan Rutledge who combined for their third win in four starts in the 45-70 rated handicap over a mile and a half. This improving three-year-old relished her return to this trip and enjoyed a smooth run through on the inner to lead with over a furlong to run and defeat Tham Luang by three lengths.