Timely boost for Halford
The five-year-old mare tracked the leaders in the five-furlong dash before coming through under Gary Carroll to head front-running Calm Bay inside the final furlong and then holding joint-favourites Hitchens and Luisant by three-quarters of a length and a neck with two-year-old Knock Stars a close fourth.
A five-year-old mare, Invincible Ash was registering her second listed success and provided reigning champion Carroll with his 34th win of the season (one behind Ben Curtis).
A delighted Halford said: “She’s had a wonderful season and has been amazingly consistent. She loves fast ground, proper summer ground and seems to love it around here. We gave her a bit of a break since her last run.
“We’ll consider going to Dubai with her – I think she’d love the sun on her back and the quick ground. . I’m delighted for Gary – he gave her a great ride.”
The Halford/Carroll combination went close to completing a double with Annakeenm which was pipped on the post by Intyre Trail in the www.dundalkstadium.com Apprentice Handicap.
Intyre Trail, which attracted some support from 12/1 to 9/1 on-course, was a first winner for trainer Peter Fahey, who is based outside Monasterevin, County Kildare, and provided Ronan Whelan – apprenticed to Jim Bolger – with a welcome change of luck.
Fahey, a successful amateur rider for many years, said: “I’ve only had my licence for five or six months. This horse won here last year and we were hopeful that he would recapture that sort of form. We’ll probably bring him back here in a few weeks. I’m delighted to give Ronan a winner – he’s a local lad to us.”
Dermot Weld took the training honours, completing a double for owner Dr Ronan Lambe with Eternal Youth in the nursery and course and distance winner Force Of Habit in the Christmas Parties At Dundalk Handicap.
Force Of Habit, which proved his versatility with a maiden hurdle success at the Galway Festival, adding to flat wins at Dundalk and Fairyhouse, bolted up in the finale, stretching clear inside the final furlong to slam Accompanist by four lengths.
The four-year-old provided stable-jockey Pat Smullen with his 89th win of the season, leaving him seven clear of reigning champion Johnny Murtagh, successful earlier on Iron Major.
The Weld double had been achieved when Eternal Youth got the better of the Murtagh-ridden McMonagle in the bookings@dundalksrtadium.com Nursery, a twelfth winner of the domestic season for County Galway-born Leigh Roche, who is apprenticed to Weld.
The Reaper, trained by Ger Lyons and ridden by stable jockey Keagan Latham, justified 7/4 favouritism in the opening Irish Stallion Farms 2-Y-0 Maiden over five furlongs, stretching clear inside the final furling to slam Catalpa Sail by four and a half lengths.
The winning trainer was not present, but his brother and assistant Shane commented: “He was the highest-rated horse in the race and ran up to form. Five furlongs isn’t ideal for him, but it wasn’t the strongest race and he did it well.
“We might go again with him here before the end of the season. He should make a lovely three-year-old.”
Consistent but luckless since her maiden success at Naas, the Kevin Prendergast-trained Alsalwa returned to winning form when getting the better of brave, front-running Anam Chara by a head in the one-mile Irish Stallion Farms Fillies Race.
Hamdam Al Maktoum’s filly was strongly ridden in the closing stages by Declan McDonogh, who commented later: “She wasn’t really suited by the conditions of the race. But she’s a right mare and always does her best. She was beaten twice over shorter trips here and appreciated the mile. She seems to love the surface and might be capable of winning a listed race here in the future.”
Johnny Murtagh brought the Eddie Lynam-trained Iron Major from last to first to win the one-mile bookings@dundalstadium.com Handicap, swooping late to beat Hot Sand by a neck to give Murtagh his 82nd winner of the campaign, seven behind Smullen.
