Dusty at the double in Dundalk
Under an enterprising ride from Foley, the Ken Condon-trained Marvada successfully conceded 13lb. to Aidan O’Brien’s Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf fourth Up in the four-runner Irish Stallion Farms Follies Race, scoring by three-quarters of a length.
A delighted Condon admitted: “I though we were playing for second, behind the Ballydoyle filly. But she won well and Shane was very good on her. She’s a tough filly and the plan is to get some black type for her. She’ll probably go to the Curragh for the Athasi (on May 7). The Ballyogan at Leopardstown in June will be another target. I hope to win a listed race with her, even if we have to travel.”
Foley completed his double and earned high praise from his boss Michael Halford when Banna Boirche swooped late to foil the Johnny Murtagh-ridden front-runner Billyford by a head in the seven-furlong ww.dundalkstadium.com Handicap.
The six-year-old top-weight, which campaigned in Dubai during the winter, was registering his first win in fourteen months. Halford declared: “Shane did well to win in a tricky, muddling race. This horse loves it around here and, although he probably got to the front a bit too soon, he did it well.
“Shane is riding really well. He’s confident and strong and has a great racing brain. He works hard and should go a long way in this game. As for Banna Boirche, he’ll probably come back here for a mile handicap next week.”
A major gamble on British raider Archers Road (10/1 to 3/1) came unstuck in the five-furlong Dundalk Apprentice Handicap, which opened the card. David Barron’s charge trailed in last of the twelve runners behind Pencil Hill, a first winner of the season for Curragh trainer Tracy Collins.
The successful handler commented: “He lost his way and has been a bit at sea for a while. But Gary (Phillips) gave him a lovely ride and it’s a nice surprise, because we though he didn’t handle the track when he ran here before.”
Ray Dawson, who rode Archers Road, was suspended for five race days for careless riding following an incident early in the straight which involved his mount, Empirico and Sovereign Secure.
Formerly trained by Jim Bolger and having only her second outing for local handler George Kingston, Gan Locht proved a shock winner of the bookings@dundalksatdium.com Handicap, getting the better of Daytime Dreamer by a neck.
Kingston said: “I’m delighted to give Fifi (winning rider Shane Gray) a winner because he started riding out for us when he was very young, probably only eleven, before he ever went to Tommy Stack’s. She’s a nice filly and has been working well, so we fancied her a bit each-way tonight.”
Trainer Maurice Phelan, who enjoyed his biggest success when Portrait King won the Eider Chase in Newcastle, recorded a rare flat success when Kevin Manning partnered 14/1 shot Alhellal to victory in the Dundalk Stadium On Facebook Maiden at the expense of Mundher and Roe Deer.
A six-year-old Kalanisi gelding, Alhellal, which won a Roscommon bumper and a maiden hurdle in Ballinrobe last summer, stayed on stoutly under Manning’s strong handling to triumph by a length.
The biggest shock of the night came in the seven-furlong Dundalk Stadium On Facebook Handicap when 25/1 shot Give Me Shelter, ridden by apprentice Sam James, landed the spoils, giving trainer Bernard Heffernan his first winner at Dundalk.
After a succession of near misses, Johnny Murtagh belatedly hit the target in the Fund Raising Made Easy At Dundalk Maiden, when Ursa Major stayed on dourly to outpoint Voleuse De Coeurs by a neck.
