Smullen double leaves him three behind in title race
Flic Flac, trained by Dermot Weld for the Moyglare Stud Farm, held on in a desperate finish to the seven-furlong Dundalk Stadium On Facebook Handicap, dead-heating with the fast-finishing Sunset Beauty with Obligada a short-head away third and another finisher — Collingwood — a further half-length back in fourth.
The champion quipped: “Half a loaf is better than nothing,” after the result was confirmed, his mount sharing the spoils with the Jim Bolger-trained, Kevin Manning-ridden Sunset Beauty.
Smullen completed a double when the Liam McAteer-trained She’s My Dandy held the late flourish of The Kernigal in the Group Discounts At Dundalk Nursery, an outcome which prompted the winning trainer to declare: “Pat has a great strike rate for us. This is a nice filly, only starting to come to herself. She should make a nice three-year-old.”
Portland winner Nocturnal Affair, trained by David Marnane and confidently handled by Colm O’Donoghue, recorded his first success in Ireland when landing the featured Mercury Stakes, a listed event over the minimum trip, at the expense of British raider Breartless Kiss and the progressive Balmost Mast. Marnane is planning a return to Dubai for the five-year-old, a four-time winner in his native South Africa.
The teak-tough Miranda’s Girl (33/1), trained by Tom Cleary and ridden by his son Rory, caused the shock of the night when getting up close home to deny Hurricane Havoc in the Irish Stallion Farms Fillies Race.
