SOME of the rising stars of the weigh-room shone at Dundalk on Wednesday with Jack Kearney bagging himself a double on the card. The 7lb claimer took the mount on a couple of short-priced horses and gave both confident rides.

Dabana went to post a 4/5 shot in the Crowne Plaza Maiden over a mile and was produced with a strong run inside the final furlong. The Mark Fahey-trained filly asserted in the closing stages to record a length-and-a-half success over Relevant Range.

An Aga Khan produce, the daughter of Iffraaj was making her second outing since being bought by Michael Begley and Richie Scahill. Fahey said: “She deserved to get her head in front and it is nice to get her maiden win out of her.

“She probably wants decent ground on turf. It is great as Richie and Stan Begley both picked her out at the sales. It is her second run for them and she was bought very well. Jack is great value for his claim and we have been very lucky together. He gave her a brilliant ride and got the splits up the straight.”

Easily defied

Kearney got the leg up again on Satono Chevalier later on the card and he easily defied a 7lb penalty for an impressive victory at the course the previous week.Richard O’Brien’s charge was also a 4/5 shot in the second division of the mile-and-a-half handicap.

He cruised into the lead two furlongs from home and stretched clear in the closing stages for a five-length win in the colours of Frank Lynch.

“He has absolutely turned inside out. I don’t feel entirely certain as to why he has turned the corner to the extent that he has, but the trip seems to be suiting him really well and he is loving the surface,” said O’Brien afterwards.

He also praised the young pilot adding: “He is a terrific young rider and I’m delighted to have made the connection with him.”

Settle away

In the first division of the mile-and-half handicap another 7lb claimer produced Celtic Revival with a well-timed run to land the spoils.

James Ryan drove the 4/1 shot to the front inside the final furlong to record a half-length win on the Eddie Lynam-trained gelding.

It was Ryan’s second win on the Sea The Stars gelding and he said: “He is starting to learn how to race now. He was running a bit keen but Eddie has done a great job, he is starting to settle away. He’s improving the whole time.”

Dean Curran was the other apprentice to strike on the card when Elzaam Blue ran out a gutsy winner of the concluding ten furlong handicap.

Darren Bunyan’s charge made most of the running and held the late charge of Bowerman to record a neck victory at odds of 4/1. Bunyan trains the five-year-old for Siobhan Ni Cheallaigh and said afterwards: “He is a horse that has been out of luck in plenty of his runs.

“Things haven’t gone his way, but you can’t keep making excuses for them either. He has let us down a couple of times as well. I do believe there is plenty to come with him. Dean is a very valuable member of the team at home. It is great to get him a winner there.”

RONAN McNally saddled his first runner since appealing a 12-year disqualification and Vee Dancer gave him reason to cheer when making all in the opening two-mile handicap. The well supported 2/1 favourite dictated under Dylan Browne McMonagle and repelled the challenge of Mephisto inside the final furlong to record a three-parts-of-a-length win.

In an interview on Racing TV subsequently, McNally revealed that the winner is for sale along with stable stars including Dreal Deal, All Class and The Jam Man. He said of the winner: “He stays all day and Dylan said he probably wants to run in a better class of race where he can get a lead. He’s never made the running in his life and doesn’t even work in front so to do that today was fairly impressive.”

HORSES recording back-to-back wins at the venue was a theme of the afternoon and the Johnny Murtagh-trained Malacanne landed his second success of the year when taking the three-year-old handicap.

There were four in with a shout in the closing stages of the seven-furlong contest but Shane Kelly drove his mount into a narrow lead in the closing stages and he held Bright Dick late on by a neck. Kelly said afterwards: “I had to get pretty tough with him and he answered every question. He did it well in the end.”

Tight finish

Earlier in the first division of the six-furlong handicap Hero Of The Hour struck again at the track when edging a tight finish from Tynamite. Chris Hayes produced George Kingston’s charge to gain a narrow lead on the outer a furlong from home and the 11/4 favourite just held on by a nose at the line.

“He didn’t win too far and he needs the blinkers. He’s a nice horse if everything is right,” said Kingston, who trains the Lord Kanaloa gelding for David Hoey.

In the second division David Marnane and Declan McDonogh gained compensation having been narrowly denied victory with Tynamite. Poet’s Pride ran out a decisive winner when leading just inside the final furlong and posting a length-and-three-quarters victory at odds of 13/2.

“He needs pace to run at. He can be too keen for his own good sometimes,” said McDonogh afterwards. I dropped back a bit today and got a bit of cover even though I was three wide. He stayed up the outside and he picked up brilliantly.”