WAYNE Lordan was seen to great effect when partnering a 101/1 double aboard Tooreen Dancer and Ishebayorgrey on this eight-race card.
Tooreen Legend, trained by Tommy Stack for James O’Brien, has won six times in recent seasons and the same connections can look forward to plenty of enjoyment with his half-sister Tooreen Dancer who caused a 16/1 surprise on debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.
The daughter of Vale Of York, who is owned by James Martin O’Brien, collared Heat Of The Day close home for a neck success.
Lordan, who is looking forward to joining the team of riders at Ballydoyle in January, followed-up when Ishebayorgrey defied top-weight in the Floodlit Friday Nights At Dundalk Handicap.
The four-year-old gelding, available at 10/1 in the morning and backed on track from 7/1 into 5/1 favourite, dug deep under a strong drive inside the final furlong to pip Roachdale House by half a length.
Pat Martin, who trains the son of Clodovil for Monasterboice native Ray Moore, said: “He ran great the last day in a better contest, and I felt that he’d improved. He’s a nice horse on this surface, and Wayne gave him a marvellous ride.”
Doubles are commonplace for Michael Halford at this venue, and Chestnut Fire’s win in the featured €24,000 Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Handicap was the highlight of another brace.
The Paul Rooney-owned gelding travelled well to take over from pace-making stablemate Hat Alnasar a furlong out, and the 11/8 favourite kept on well under Shane Foley to beat Secret Wizard by a comfortable three lengths.
“They went a nice even gallop, and he picked up well. He made hard work of it here the last night but did that well and it’s a nice pot to get,” said Halford.
Foley was also aboard Duchessofflorence half an hour later in division one of the Injuredjockeys.com Handicap. The Pivotal filly also made smooth progress to challenge but the well-backed 6/1 chance (11/1 in the morning) needed strong handling in the closing stages to get the better of Sixtyfiveroses by half a length.
New Direction, trained by Jim Bolger for his wife Jackie, completed a hat-trick in the space of a month in division two of this extended 10-furlong handicap. The 7/4 favourite was prominent throughout and kept up to his work by Kevin Manning to beat Rock On Rosie by a length and three-quarters.
Bolger’s travelling head lad Ger Flynn said: “He loves the place and, while it was a bit of a concern coming back in trip, he coped with it well. He was in the sales at Goffs last week and was bought back for €37,000.”
The Upton yard of John Murphy has enjoyed a welcome change of fortune in recent weeks, and Paved With Gold added to the tally when taking the Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Stadium Handicap at odds of 33/1. Colin Keane’s mount passed most of his 12 rivals in the straight, leading close home to beat Cosmic Symbol by half a length.
“He’s a lovely horse but ran shocking a few times on soft ground and we gave him a break. Like a lot of my horses in September and October he was coughing but has been working well recently,” said Murphy of the Universal Bloodstock Syndicate’s Champs Elysees gelding.
Banbridge trainer Matt Quinn bridged a gap of 16 years since his last winner (Arkdel at Kilbeggan) when Shelbe (20/1-14/1) travelled smoothly throughout and led early in the straight for Mick Hussey to beat Jestival by a length and a half in the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Handicap.
Quinn’s daughter and assistant, Bernie said: “Dad took out the licence again in the past year and we have four horses in training. This horse has been steadily getting better, and will probably come back here again.”
Rock In Peace and Liberatio dominated the market for the DKIT Students Union Race Night (C & G) Maiden but there was also support for the Joseph O’Brien-trained Druids Cross and the 8/1 (from 12/1) chance came home strongly, despite an awkward head carriage, under Seamie Heffernan for the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate.
ACTING STEWARDS
R. Dore, P. Molony, R. Hall, F.G. Fitzsimons, P.D. Matthews
ONE TO FOLLOW
US NAVY SEAL (J R Finn): Caught the eye when staying on nicely inside the final furlong. The former Ballydoyle-trained gelding has dropped to an attractive mark.