ELISHPOUR could be aimed at the All-Weather Championships after getting the better of Political Policy in a thrilling finish to the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap at Dundalk.

Off the same mark as when scoring narrowly here last month, Alan Fleming's 9/4 shot showed those battling qualities once again as he denied Political Policy by a head.

Clear Skies, the 7/4 favourite who arrived in search of a five-timer, had every chance but had to settle for third.

Winning owner Barry Connell said: "He's paying his way. That's his third run here and two wins. He was mugged by Rashaan the first time.

"Pat (Smullen) said if he'd known him better he would have held on to him for longer because he wasn't doing much when he hit the front.

"He's a grand horse and as I was saying the last time, we use him as a lead horse for the young bumper horses at home.

"He's transformed since he came up here. We ran him in the amateur handicap at Galway on grass and he didn't seem to like it.

"I think there is something for him here every month through the winter. That'll be the game and if he got high enough we could look at the All-Weather Championships in England. There is a two-mile race there but I think he'd need to be in the mid-90s.

"The main thing is that he enjoys it and if you find something that they like, it's great. We'll keep him going with the ultimate aim of trying to land him into Lingfield.

"He didn't like hurdling and I'd say we'll keep off the grass as well. He'll probably have a holiday during the summer and stick to Dundalk."

EXCELLENT RUN

Katiymann continued his excellent run of form at the venue with a clear-cut triumph in the www.dundalkstadium.com Handicap.

Michael Halford's charge has a win and two placings under the lights this campaign and, as he was in each of those three starts, he was sent off favourite.

He travelled strongly into contention when a gap appeared towards the inside, and he showed an impressive turn of foot to beat Glastonbury Song by a length and three-quarters.

Halford said of the 9/4 winner: "It was set up lovely for him there as they went a good gallop. He settled lovely for Conor (Hoban) and that's the way to ride him. When it sets up like that for him, he's a good horse around here. He goes on the surface really well.

"I'm delighted for Conor as he works very, very hard for us all through the year and I maybe don't get to give him as many opportunities as he deserves. He does very little wrong and is a great team player."

Pivotal Connection upset odds-on favourite Dhafeera in the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Maiden. The Andy Oliver-trained 6/1 shot wore down the market leader in the dying strides to prevail by a neck.

"She's a filly we liked. As with all of these maidens, we had a backlog with our horses this year and we are just getting them out now," said Oliver.

"I was disappointed slightly with her last run, when we thought she'd nearly win, and she came back to form there tonight.

"We thought the outside draw might be tricky and I just asked Chris (Hayes) to keep it simple. She jumped well and he gave her a lovely ride, nice and sweet.

"Hopefully she's progressive, we certainly think she is, and there is more to come. She's a well-bred filly, being by Pivotal out of a Galileo mare, so it's nice to have her bracket now and hopefully she'll kick on from that.

"I'm not sure what way she'll go. There is another option for her in a couple of weeks. She's been busy enough with the way things have gone but she's taking her racing well and loves that surface.

"She's one I wouldn't mind keeping for next year because she's a nice mover, has a good attitude, does things well and Chris said afterwards 'I think she's improving'. She's also thriving, which is always a good sign."

MAIDEN SUCCESS

Medal Of Honour (9/2) finally got on the scoresheet in the Winter Series At Dundalk 2018 Maiden.

Joseph O'Brien's colt has picked up plenty of experience in races won by high-class juveniles The Pentagon, Warm The Voice and Nelson, but he still lugged slightly left when making his move in the final furlong.

Port Lions rallied, with Aishling's Secret also in the thick of the action, but Medal Of Honour proved three-quarters of a length too strong.

Jockey Donnacha O'Brien said: "He's been a bit disappointing in his last few runs but I think we've probably been making too much use of him in his races.

"You saw today how he stopped when he got there and drifted so I'd say it suits him to come from behind. I probably should have corrected him earlier, but he won anyway."

Ross Coakley gave Captain Cullen (25/1) an enterprising ride to win the Floodlit Friday Nights At Dundalk Handicap, and he got a good tune out of Secret Memories (7/1) to win the Dundalk Stadium - Light Up Your Night Apprentice Handicap (Div 1).

The second division went the way of Rosenborg Rider (8/1), who was a place behind Secret Memories when seventh at Wolverhampton last weekend.

Rosenborg Rider's trainer Ado McGuinness doubled up courtesy of Piper Bomb in the Christmas Party Packages At Dundalk Stadium Nursery Handicap.

The 7/1 chance was always to the fore under Donagh O'Connor and ran right the way to the line to dispose of Ar Saoirse by two and a half lengths.

READ THE FULL DUNDALK REPORT IN NEXT WEEKEND'S EDITION OF THE IRISH FIELD