Wachman-Murtagh share double
Warning Flag made virtually all the running and, despite swishing his tail in the closing stages, responded to Murtagh’s driving to keep all challengers at bay, beating Park Avenue, like the winner,carrying the colours of Michael Tabor, by a length and a quarter.
Trainer Wachman, speaking by phone, said later: “He’s going the right way, improving with each run and will be a nice horse next year, over a mile or ten furlongs. Johnny said he found plenty when the others came at him. And he won well.”
After Tradition initiated the Wachman/Murtagh double in the seven-furlong maiden, the trainer said: “He missed the break and was unlucky the last day in Listowel. But he kept going well tonight and, hopefully, will keep improving. He’s a nice prospect for next year.”
Also in double form were Eddie Lynam and Wayne Lordan, successful with Tweedy and Denny Crane.
A half-sister to stable-companion Duff, Tweedy made all to land the six-furlong www.dundalkstadium.com Race emphatically by two lengths from Alsalwa, to the delight of her trainer. “She’s Duff’s sister and seemed to enjoy it out there tonight,” said Lynam. “And I’d love to get some black type for her. She’ll probably go to Lingfield for a listed race next month, a race Duff won a few years ago.”
The previously luckless Denny Crane belatedly opened his account in the Dundalk Stadium On Facebook Handicap, coming through to lead at the furlong-pole before beating Spring Hawk by a half-length in a blanket-finish.
Lynam said: “He’s been a very frustrating and unlucky horse. I’ve been considering trying him in cheekpieces. But he got there at last and it’s a relief to see him get his head in front.”
Mark Johnston, who registered his first success at Dundalk last Sunday, struck again when Realisation and Greg Fairley won the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Package Handicap, prompting trainer’s wife Deirdre to comment: “This fellow is game and honest and won fairly well. The prizemoney is great here. And we have four horses entered for next Friday already.”
And Ger Lyons, leading trainer at the track since it opened, saddled Final Recovery, a morning gamble sent off as 11/4 co-favourite, to win the opening nursery in the hands of Keagan Latham.
Lyons said: “I'm delighted to train a winner for his owner Ahmed Jaber. This horse ran in a few good maidens and showed improvement when I worked him in blinkers. He won well, so it’s a case of job done. Her should be a nice horse next year.”
Meanwhile, former England striker Alan Shearer was on target as a racehorse owner when Justonefortheroad sprang a 25-1 surprise at York yesterday.
The BBC soccer pundit saw Justonefortheroad take the feature Acorn Web Offset Handicap.
Eton Rifles looked like gunning down the opposition, but Saleem Golam brought the Richard Fahy-trained four-year-old with a well-timed run to win by three quarters of a length.
“You never know with the ground. It was sticky but the horse ran a great race,” said Shearer.
Waseet (18-1) pounced late to upstage market leaders Kings Gambit and Kirklees in the Garbutt and Elliott Conditions Stakes.
Waseet wore down the front two in the last 100 yards under Richard Hills to grab the spoils by three-quarters of a length for trainer John Dunlop.
Haajes (7-1) got up in the shadow of the post to deny Russian Spirit back-to-back victories in the Parsonage Country House Hotel Handicap.
Apprentice Paul Pickard, claiming 3lb, had a willing partner, with Paul Midgley’s six-year-old getting the verdict by a head.
Ed McMahon has enjoyed a good season with the likes of Temple Meads and Astrophysical Jet and the Lichfield trainer struck with Indian Ballad.
Graham Gibbons got the youngster home by a nose in the TSG Nursery from Breezolini
Rudegirl (4-1) made her experience tell when opening her account in the EBF Read Paul Nicholls Exclusively on Betfair Maiden Stakes.
