Lily makes it third time lucky in maiden
The only odds-on favourite of the night, Lily Of Kenmare made it third-time-lucky when gaining a hard-earned neck win over La Belle Maison in the first division of the Happy Christamas To All Our Patrons Maiden.
The Exceed And Excel filly was a 31st winner of 2012 at Dundalk for trainer Michael Halford, who commented: “She’s still green and wandered a bit, but she’ll improve with racing. We’ll see what mark the handicap gives her.”
Carroll was seen at his strongest when completing his double on Shukhov in the Crowne Plaza Dundalk Champions Handicap. The Ger Lyons-trained gelding, which underwent a wind operation at the end of the summer, held the challenge of If Per Chance by three-quarters of a length.
“I rate him highly and he’s improving with every run,” said David Marnane after Fergal Lynch had partnered Elleval to open his account — at the sixth attempt — in the Dundalk Stadium — Light Up Your Night 2-Y-0 Maiden, readily brushing aside favourite Rapid Approach.
Marnane added: “He’s still a big baby and should be a nice horse over ten furlongs next year.”
Back at the scene of his first training success, with Only A Rose back in 1994, Tom Taaffe registered his first win on Dundalk’s polytrack when Great Soprano, ridden by Seamus Heffernan, justified 7/4 favouritism in the second first division of the one-mile maiden.
The Arch gelding held the persistent challenge of newcomer Heuston by a neck, to credit Taaffe with his first winner in the colours of his wife Elaine. He commented: “He was a bit free and was in front too soon. He might be a nice horse on good ground next year, but he’s going on his holidays now.”
Rory Cleary brought Joanna Morgan’s Desiderata with a powerful late challenge to beat top-weight Sherzam in the opening nursery while the Pat Smullen-ridden Aladdins Cave, trained by Colm Murphy, completed a hat-trick when winning the finale in a blanket-finish.
