IT was a night to savour for trainer Pat Flynn who made it 800 winners over the course of his training career when Starspangledwaves impressed in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

Over the course of his career Flynn has had some really talented two-year-olds through his hands and it was significant that he was predicting a bright future for this gelding after his commanding display from the front. As he looked to build on quite a promising debut at the Curragh earlier in the month the Conor Hoban-ridden son of Starspangledbanner dominated this race throughout. The 7/1 chance made all the running and maintained a good lead throughout the last furlong and a half to defeat Smullen’s Pride by three and a quarter lengths.

Very nice

“We knew from the word go that he was a very nice horse. Conor said in the Curragh that he was just pure, raw ability,” said Flynn. “He’s a fantastic horse and as good a two-year-old as I’ve ever had. He did show plenty on his debut and Conor said he is a machine. That’s him done until next year.”

Interestingly, Starspangledwaves posted a quicker time than the older horses did over the same distance half an hour later in the 47-65 rated handicap which went to Inishmot Prince (15/8).

Now a triple Dundalk winner at this trip, the Tom McCourt inmate got on top for James Ryan nearing the final furlong and he reached the line three-parts of a length ahead of the persistent Tai Sing Yeh. The Oliver Curtis-owned and bred gelding, who finished third to Tai Sing Yeh over a furlong farther the previous week, was crediting promising apprentice James Ryan with his seventh win of the season.

Diamond in the Rough

IT has been a fine campaign for Rough Diamond who notched up his third success of the season in the six-furlong handicap.

As he pushed Eddie Lynam on the 15-winner mark of an industrious campaign, Rough Diamond justified his position as the 9/2 joint favourite with authority. Ben Coen produced him to lead a furlong out and he kept on strongly to defeat Dream Today by three and a quarter lengths.

The Trevor Dalzell-owned gelding could now be left off until next season.

Sheila Lavery’s Toriangel, a daughter of Dark Angel and her trainer’s high-class racemare Viztoria, claimed a precious first success in the mile maiden.

The 5/1 chance was travelling smoothly for Robbie Colgan earlier in the straight and held the outright lead from over a furlong out before getting home by a length from the 80-rated Zaniyka.

“She deserved to win and it is lovely to get a second winner for the mare,” reported the trainer whose brother, John, owns the filly. “She loved that surface and Robbie said that when he got off her last week. She could be back here again.”

An excellent week for apprentice Daniel King yielded a third winner in as many days as Denis Hogan’s Ransom (11/2) landed the 50-80 rated mile handicap. Denis Hogan’s charge had put together a string of good efforts in defeat lately and took a step forward in first-time cheekpieces to win nicely from My Minervina.

The Raymond McMahon-owned gelding could be the type to progress further and might be a horse to follow at Dundalk through the winter months.

Twilight carries all

THE night drew to a close with a cracking effort from Golden Twilight in the mile-and-a-half handicap where the strapping son of Dawn Approach defied a career-high rating of 92.

A premier handicap winner here in August and beaten just a nose in a huge pot on Irish Champions Weekend, the 92-rated Frank Lynch-owned five-year-old coped well with top weight. Golden Twilight was showing in front from some way out and showed a fine attitude for Ronan Whelan. He contained the efforts of Dalvey and Alaroos and went to the line in willing fashion to score by a neck from stablemate Ceallach.

“He’s a great horse around here, he just loves that surface. He’s very gutsy and that was a great weight carrying performance. He has earned a break now,” said Halford. “I’m delighted with the runner-up too. He got the trip well and is another horse who loves that surface.”

Excellent form

John McConnell’s excellent form yielded another winner as Zonik, ridden by the trainer’s son Cillian, landed the second division of the 47-65 rated handicap over a mile. In first-time blinkers, Zonik (5/1) was looking to build on a third here last month and he was produced with a steady challenge on the inner in the straight.

The Kings & Queens Syndicate-owned winner hit the front around a furlong out and finished a length and a half ahead of Leabaland. There was a sting in the tail for the winning rider as he was hit with an eight-day whip ban.

The first division of that handicap provided Laura Hourigan with the second success of her training career as Notforalongtime (7/1) recorded his first success in over two years.

A rating that had dropped 16lbs over the course of the last year gave the five-year-old a realistic chance and he also had first-time cheekpieces to aid his cause. After tracking the pace Notforalongtime led around two furlongs out for Mark Enright and stuck to his task well to see off Dark Street by half a length.