CONOR Stone-Walsh booted home the first winner of his career aboard Malaysian in the Story Of Dundalk Stadium Apprentice Handicap.

The 9/2 joint favourite stayed on between horses in the final furlong and disputed with Hurricane Helen close home before getting the verdict by a nose for trainer Charlie Moore and owner Kyle Browne McGuigan.

Stone-Walsh said: “Relief! I’m delighted now, I can’t believe it. It has been a while coming, but look, we have it now.

“I’m 16 and from Wexford. I’m apprenticed to Joseph O’Brien. She tried hard, in fairness to her, and stuck it out well to the line.”

Mick Halford continued his good run on the Polytrack with a double initiated by Kalikapour (7/2) in the William Hill Lengthen Your Odds Maiden over the mile.

Ronan Whelan, in the Aga Khan colours, rode him to close with a quarter of a mile to travel and his mount kept on strongly land the spoils by two lengths once he hit the front a furlong out.

Quite weak

Halford said: “He’s a Lope De Vega so we thought he would handle a dig in the ground but, when we ran him, he was quite weak and he’s still quite weak, but I brought him along and wasn’t happy just to let him off in Leopardstown.

“We kept him ticking over and he’s after strengthening up. A horse with a beautiful temperament and loved that surface, gets the trip well. We’ll put him away now and let him strengthen up a bit more. He’ll be a lovely horse next year.”

Whelan also did the steering on Ceallach for Halford and owner Paul Rooney in the Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Handicap.

Coaxed

The well-supported even-money favourite was coaxed into the race by Whelan and came with a winning flourish in the final 100 yards. The duo won going away by two and a half lengths.

Halford said: “He is (thriving). I think he was the only three-year-old in the race and Ronan said it was a real strong, true-run race from beginning to end.

“He travelled well and then they were after doing plenty early on. He gets the trip well, he travelled into it lovely then. Sometimes he just stays but tonight he quickened, but maybe it is because they went so fast.”

Winning start for O’Brien filly

JOSEPH O’Brien was another trainer to enjoy a double as Yerwanthere made a winning start for the stable in the William Hill Pick Your Places Handicap.

This Markaz filly was bought out of Patrick Foley’s yard after landing a Leopardstown fillies’ maiden on her debut in June.

She went off 10/1 for this task and, in an absolute bunch finish, was the most resolute as she led close home and scored by a neck for the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners LLC.

Assistant trainer Brendan Powell said: “Wayne (Lordan) said the one thing she has got is a turn of foot and he said she quickened beautifully. She had a little look in front, but they are experienced handicappers. You could mark that run up as it was her second ever racecourse run.”

Off the pace

Capuchinero came through from off the pace to land the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Maiden over six furlongs. The 6/1 shot was produced by Jake Coen in the final quarter of a mile and ran on well inside the final furlong to win by a length.

“I think the pace of the race probably played into her hands. They went hard and Jake has just taken his time.

“He said actually when she got to the front she idled a bit, and he was glad when the other one came to him because she picked up again,” Powell said of the Thoroughbred Racing Syndicate filly.

‘Stable star’ Primo is number one again

GER O’Leary’s Primo Uomo (16/1) rolled back the years when blitzing his rivals from the front in the five-furlong William Hill Extra Places Every Day Handicap.

The 10-year-old gelding powered home by three and a quarter lengths under Niall McCullagh for Lance Bloodstock Limited.

Assistant trainer Adrian Joyce said: “He’s unreal, he’s our old stable star and the pet of the yard. He’s gold to Ger at home, he loves him. He holds the track record and Ger was adamant that Niall would ride him again. He’s won a few races on him and they are two old stagers at this stage!

“He’s a little bit hot and he was extremely good today tacking up and everything. That’s a bit of a help to him - when he gets excited, he seems to run no race.”

Rapid move

A rapid move to lead five furlongs out by Nathan Crosse on 4/1 joint favourite Dark Street was the winning of the first split of the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap.

The pair made the best way home by three-parts of a length in this extended mile-and-a-quarter race.

Owner/trainer Luke Comer’s assistant Jim Gorman said: “Looking at the sectionals, I’d say they were going a little bit slow and it was going to turn into a sprint. He (Crosse) didn’t want that, so he took the bull by the horns and he stayed well.”

John McConnell’s Kartayaz stuck to his task in the second division of the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap.

Siobhan Rutledge drove the 12/1 shot home by three-parts of a length for The 119 Partnership and said: He did (dig deep). He came off the bridle good and early and I thought I was a little bit under pressure coming into the straight, but, in fairness, he was tough and he stayed really well.”