JERANDME has connections dreaming of Royal Ascot in mid-summer after storming home under champion jockey Colin Keane to take the two-mile BetVictor Proud To Support Irish Racing Race for the Harbrio Partnership.

Storm Eunice caused the fixture to be put back 72 hours to Monday with fresh declarations but it didn’t upset Noel Meade’s dual-purpose gelding who was recording an eighth career victory made up of bumpers, hurdles, chases and now three wins on the flat.

Uneasy 13/8 favourite Barbados was in trouble when driven along approaching the home straight, and Jerandme took control from well over a furlong out to beat Grandmaster Flash by a convincing five and a half lengths.

Handicapper

“The handicapper can hardly be too hard on him at that age but we actually wouldn’t mind if he goes up a few pounds as we were hoping to run him in the Ascot Stakes, the two-and-a-half-mile handicap.

“He wouldn’t get into it off the mark (87) he was on,” said Meade of the 3/1 winner. That’s the long-term plan. We might do a bit of jumping but fast ground is very important for him.

“It’s great to have Colin back riding winners for us again. You just feel so confident when you have him up.”

Prominent Acquiescent

Keane completed a double in the concluding Find Us On Twitter @DundalkStadium Handicap where the well-backed 11/5 favourite Acquiescent, trained by John Murphy for Donal Mac A’Bhaird, was prominent throughout and kept on strongly to beat Inductive by two lengths.

Murphy’s son and assistant trainer George said: “She was a bit keen early on but was in the right spot and was tough and did it well in the end.

Seven is her ideal trip and we’ll look for something similar the next day. She’s been very consistent.”

Intrepid Kearney prevails on Ellabella

JACK Kearney (16), who is apprenticed to Meade and rode his first winner here just last month, was on the mark again when giving the progressive Ellabella (7/2) an enterprising ride to take division two of the Dundalk Winter Series Leading Trainer & Jockey Championship Handicap.

The Pride Of Dubai filly, owned and bred by Margaret Heffernan, built up a lead of at least four lengths at halfway and, despite drifting right inside the final furlong, just held on by a nose from the gambled-on Court Of Appeal (12/1-11/4 favourite). “Jack did a good job as she can be an awkward ride, she’s keen and hangs. She wasn’t getting there over seven furlongs but when we upped her to a mile she’s come out on the right side of three close finishes,” said trainer Andrew McNamara.

The step up to a mile proved just the trick for Sunset Nova, trained by Andy Slattery and ridden by his son and namesake, in division one. The 10/1 chance, who carries the colours of the Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate, was produced with a well-timed run on the outer to beat 5/2 favourite Reverberation by three-quarters of a length.

The trainer’s brother and assistant Brian Slattery said: “That’s his first time over a mile and the step up in trip seems to have suited him. He’s in again on Friday night and will probably turn up again. He’s a grand servant and wins a few races every year.”

Heavenly Angel

Ben Coen and Johnny Murtagh teamed up to take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden as Angel Girl came home strongly on the outer to just deny the gambled-on newcomer Ma France.

The latter was backed from 50/1 overnight into just 7/2 and looked to be coming with a winning run up the inner. However, the Ballygallon Stud-owned daughter of Dark Angel just proved the stronger in the final strides to score by a head.

“She jumped smart and probably sharpened up a bit from the last day. She’s a good hardy, honest filly. I’d say she will stay seven,” said Coen of the 9/4 favourite.

Inishmot Prince gets there finally

JAMES Ryan had his claim reduced from 10lb to 7lb after teaming up with his boss Tom McCourt to take the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap on Inishmot Prince. The Oliver Curtis homebred gelding made good headway on the outer to lead about a furlong out and, despite edging left, kept on well to beat fellow 3/1 joint-favourite Collective Power by a length.

“He’s after having two quick runs so we’ll freshen him up a bit. He ran well in Navan on his first run over five,” said McCourt. “Looking at him the other day over six if anything you would say he might have wanted further but the dam was quick and he’s built that way.”

Hugh Horgan was another apprentice to score on the card as Buenaventura, trained by Joseph O’Brien for his mother Annmarie, challenged up the centre of the straight in the Dundalkstadium.com Handicap. The 5/1 shot appreciated the step-up to an extended 10 furlongs when getting on top close home to beat Cryptos Dream by three-quarters of a length.

O’Brien’s assistant Brendan Powell said: “She was off the bridle a long way out but kept galloping and hit the line strong. She’ll stay further in time.”

Pandemic Princess (4/1) has been a model of consistency here and recorded her second win under Sean Davis when just holding off the late challenge of Form Of Praise by a head in the BetVictor Loyalty Club Handicap.“She knows this place too well and is inclined to keep half an eye on here (the parade ring). If she went somewhere she didn’t know she could step forward again. Denis and Ailish Enright (from the Kingdom Thoroughbred Syndicate) are here so it’s great,” said trainer Richard O’Brien.