JIM Bolger completed a Dundalk double on Thursday evening where the former champion trainer provided a dream-come-true start for 16-year-old jockey of Gavin Ryan, who made a winning debut on Bolger’s Locus Standi in the Follow Us On Twitter Handicap.

Previously successful 51 weeks ago on March 23rd, 2016, Locus Standi made virtually all today under his young rider, who kept the five-year-old gelding going inside the final furlong for a three-quarter-length win over Rubenesque.

Ryan was understandably thrilled. He said: “That’s my first ride and first winner. I’m very grateful to the boss for the ride - I know the horse fairly well as I ride him out at home. It all went to plan today and I was happy with him throughout and he did it well.

“I’m 16 and I’m from Killenaule in Tipperary and did a bit of pony racing. I had only a very average pony racing career but it seems to be going well for me now. It’s my first ride so I’m just very happy!”

Half an hour earlier, Bolger’s son-in-law and decades-long stable jockey Kevin Manning partnered the trainer’s Mainicin 5/1 to win the Light Up Your Night At Dundalk Handicap.

The daughter of Teofilo, recording her third career win, eventually scored a three-parts of a length win over Ligeti and Manning later commented: “She’s consistent over a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half. She’s consistent and genuine and is paying her way.”

Michael Halford is another familiar with Dundalk doubles and the trainer provided his stable jockey Shane Foley with the first two wins of a personal treble for the rider, with a pair of fast finishers, Vincy and Shannon Soul.

Vincy, in the colours of Paul Rooney, justified 5/4 favouritism, on his second start, when landing the Crowne Plaza Package Median Auction Race.

The son of Elzaam was held up behind the leaders before eventually moving his way through to lead inside the final furlong for a length win over Shes Ranger.

Halford reported: “He got a bit of a bump early on but Shane said it just took him a while to get back travelling again.

“Our horses generally come forward for a run and he did that from his first run. He’s a lovely mover but he’s a horse that is still quite babyish so we’ll probably take our time with him now.

“Paul bought him off us after his first run. Paul has plenty of patience and I’m delighted he’s won for him.

“We won’t be in any rush with him and he likes a nice surface.

“We had him tipping along there and it’s nice to get a bracket for him. We’ll see where we go from there.”

Halford’s Shannon Soul seemed an even faster finisher in his heat, the www.dundalkstadium.com Handicap, which he won with a last-gasp lunge for the line, from the somewhat appropriately named Split The Atom.

Halford commented: “He’s (Shannon Soul) just slow out of the gates all the time and the smaller fields suit him. He gets every yard of it (seven-furlong trip) well and they went a good gallop, which helped, and Shane gave him a good ride.

“It’s nice to get another one with him and there wasn’t anything for him over a mile and that race looked like a nice race for him.

“He’s real genuine, tries hard and the blinkers just help him concentrate. We seem to have the key to him now and he’s going the right way.

“I think ground is important to him and a level track. It’s nice to have that done with him now and we’ll sort of pick our way along with him.”

On-fire Foley completed his hat-trick haul in the concluding Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap, with another well-judged ride on the Anthony McCann-trained winner Shabra Emperor (9/1).

Foley’s similar waiting tactics saw him produce Shabra Emperor to lead inside the final furlong before scoring his win and McCann commented: “We took him here last week for a piece of work before racing and he impressed us.

“He quickened up well there and it was an average enough race; in these type of races everything has to go to plan and it happened to go to plan for him.

“It was good to get him back in action and he’s been a very good servant to me. I don’t know if he’ll get into another 45-65 - I doubt it but there are a couple of races coming up for him so we’ll just have to try our best.”

UNBEATEN

The Pat Martin-trained Lady Rosebud (9/2) completed a double of her own when maintaining her 100% record for 2017, in the Follow Dundalk Stadium On Twitter Handicap.

The daughter of Sir Prancealot, carrying the colours of Derek Molloy, won under Wayne Lordan at the Co Louth venue on January 13th and followed up under the same rider today, scoring a two-length win over Wingingit.

Martin said: “She seemed to have come forward nicely from her first win here. We were happy with her coming in and Wayne said everything went right for her. She settled well today and they went a good pace.

“I was a bit concerned stepping up to a mile that she mightn’t settle well enough but they went hard, she switched off and picked up well.

“She may come back here before this (winter series) ends as she handles the surface well, but I would think she’ll like the grass.

“She’s going the right way and I’d imagine she’ll even get further in time but a mile is far enough at the minute.”

FINELY TUNED

Racing began with another familiar winner Hes Our Music (3/1), who registered his ninth course win in the Dundalk Business Club 2017 Claiming Race, for new trainer Dick Donohoe.

Hes Our Music had previously won each of previous nine races (won once at the Curragh) for trainer Pat Flynn, but having been claimed by Donohoe following his latest win at the Co Louth venue in November, was today winning under capable claimer Denis Lenihan.

Afterwards Donohoe stated: “He’s a grand horse and loves that all-weather track. He was prolific for Pat Flynn but has been a bit disappointing for us up until now but he’s done the job tonight.

“He was tough out in front - I thought they might get past him because he didn’t finish great the last day here but he stuck at it well.

“I don’t think there is much left for him here now. He’ll come back in the autumn, I suppose.”

Co Limerick-based trainer Richard O’Brien is another who is becoming familiar with the winner’s enclosure at the Co Louth venue and the rookie trainer made it three wins in as many months with a licence when his Khabaray landed the Happy St. Patrick’s Day Handicap.

Khabaray (7/2) had previously failed to win in 11 runs but today, under jockey Ross Coakley, was held up in mid-division before eventually making his way to the front inside the final furlong before crossing the line ahead of Settle For Red.

O’Brien said: “That’s great and I’m delighted with him. We’ve always thought he was capable of doing something like that and hopefully now he’ll kick into gear and progress. We’ll probably wait now until there is a little bit of good ground because I don’t think he’ll handle soft.

“I’m delighted for my father especially. We’ve had a few winners here and it’s great for him - he bred him and he bred me so he’ll be delighted and will get a massive kick out of this.

“I’m delighted with the ride Ross gave him - it was absolutely perfect. He had spoken to Bill (Lee) who had ridden him the last day and he said to ride him like that, ride him with loads of confidence and deliver him late. It worked really well.”

ACTING STEWARDS

P.N. Reynolds, S Collins, T McDonogh, J.G.J McCoy, P.W. Murtagh.

HORSE TO FOLLOW

RUBY GATES (J. O’Brien): Flew home for a never-nearer third in the mile and a half handicap and looks well capable of winning from her current rating (64).