JAMES McAuley and Colin Keane teamed up for a double as they bookended the card at Dundalk last Friday night.

The duo began their winning ways with Pub Talk in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Claiming Race over seven furlongs. He was backed down to 8/11 favourite and his supporters were counting their money when Keane sent him on in the final furlong and a half. The pair kept on nicely to draw two and three quarter lengths clear at the line.

Owner/trainer McAuley said: “It was grand, he was classy for that grade. His placed handicap form was good enough to do that. He was entitled to do it and he did it well.”

Afterwards, Pub Talk was claimed by Thomas McDonagh/The Varland Syndicate to be trained by Denis Hogan.

Repaid

Tawaazon, who was claimed by McAuley from Hogan the week before, quickly repaid that faith in the Racing Thursday March 16th Handicap.

The five-year-old gelding raced prominently before picking up the lead after a furlong and a half. He was still going strongly in the final furlong and sailed in by two lengths at 14/1 in the colours of the trainer.

McAuley said: “That’s not bad now, we are on a bit of a run with them! We did that with Inflection Point last week (claimed him and won on his first start for the stable).

“We have had our eye on this lad for a while, he beat one of mine and was second to Tai Sing Yeh as well.”

SAN Andreas gave jockey Wayne Hassett his first victory when powering clear in the Join Us Instagram @dundalk_stadium Race over a mile.

The 5/4 favourite led into the straight and kicked away from his rivals in the final furlong to win by five and a half lengths for Joseph O’Brien and the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate.

Assistant trainer Brendan Powell said: “The horse deserved it, he comes up here every time and runs his races. It doesn’t really matter if it is seven furlongs or a mile or a mile and a quarter.

“The Hassett family are not far from us and he has been coming into us for two and a half to three years. He is a lovely rider and is very light. It is great for him and Joseph gives them a chance.”

Mullacash Buzz loves to bowl along from the front, but stall 17 appeared to make that tricky on paper in the Crowne Plaza Dundalk Race & Stay Handicap.

Jack Cleary worked the 9/1 shot into the lead from the stalls, though, and the pair dominated before coming home by a reduced margin of three quarters of a length at the line for trainer Thomas Dowling and owner Martin Flinter.

Cleary said: “Tom had him in great form today. He really showed the ability he has even from stall 17, so I am delighted with that.

“He’s very consistent about the stalls and that, he always breaks well. You kind of take a pull out of him and sit on him and he’ll do his job from there.”

Mark Cahill’s Hinemoa clearly enjoys a mile and a half around Dundalk and doubled her career total in the Dundalk Winter Series Apprentice Handicap.

Alan Persse delivered her a furlong and a half from home and the seven-year-old mare toughed it out for a half-length success at 18/1 for owner Frank McNulty.

The trainer said: “She’s not over pacey, she probably couldn’t even go with them early to be honest. It kind of suited then as it kind of fell apart in front of her and she didn’t get there too soon. The one thing she will do is battle.”

Bowerman continued his resurgence by justifying 15/8 favouritism for Shamrock Thoroughbreds and Hazel McGuinness in the View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Handicap.

Ronan Whelan made headway on him inside the final couple of furlongs and the nine-year-old gelding put his best foot forward to strike the front at the furlong pole.

He found plenty at the business end of this extended mile and a quarter to score by a length and three quarters.

“We’ve done very little with him since he ran here the last day,” said trainer Ado McGuinness. “He never even had a gallop, we tipped him away a couple of days on the beach and he was just floating around the gallop at home.”

Johnny Murtagh’s Take Heart built upon a promising third place on debut to get off the mark for Barnane Stud in the Book Online @ DundalkStadium.com Maiden over a mile.

The 4/9 favourite was never far from the pace and was ridden by Ben Coen to challenge approaching the final furlong. The son of Dark Angel soon led and asserted in the closing stages to come in by two and a half lengths.

Coen said: “He picked up well a furlong and a half out. I think a mile and a quarter would be no problem to him as well. He hit the line good and strong.”

Higher Kingdom made it three wins from his last five runs in Dundalk when landing the Floodlit Friday Nights At Dundalk Handicap by a neck.

Donagh O’Connor’s mount disputed the lead with Benavente over a furlong out and led narrowly in the final 100 yards before seeing that rival off. After the 10/3 favourite took the honours for owner Seamus Devlin, trainer John McConnell said: “He keeps delivering and is very consistent. Helen Mooney is a lot to do with his rejuvenation, she rides him every day and treats him like a baby so I have to thank her.”