Majestic Timeline notches fifth success of 2013
And the progressive, four-year-old filly notched her fifth success of 2013 when justifying 7/4 favouritism in the opening DKIT Students Union Race Night Handicap over five furlongs in Dundalk last night.
Already successful twice at Wolverhampton, at Tipperary and over this course and distance, Majestic Timeline, reunited with Johnny Murtagh, tanked along in second place before edging past Sujet Bellagio and kept going strongly to beat market rival Sylvan Mist by a length and three-quarters.
Joyce said: “It’s great to have Johnny (Murtagh) on her again. He rode her before and he’s just told me he wants to ride her again. She won well tonight and is improving all the time. She might come back here on December 13 and we’ll target some of the nice sprint handicaps next year.”
While Majestic Timeline was Joyce’s second winner at Dundalk, Ger Lyons has been leading trainer at the County Louth venue since the polytrack opened. And the Master of Glenburnie struck again last night with longshot Azurite in the two-year-old maiden and the aptly-named Queen Of The Sand in the seven-furlong rated race.
Gelded since his last outing, Azurite overcame some traffic problems before getting up late under Gary Carroll to foil flattering favourite Screenshot by a half-length in the Dundalk Stadium — Light Up Your Night 2-Y-0 Maiden.
The winning trainer’s brother Shane said: “He was slowly away in his first two runs. We gelded him and gave him a bit of time. He broke better today and was more professional through his race. His homework has been good and he should continue to improve over the winter.”
Apprentice Colin Keane provided his boss with the second leg of his double as Queen Of The Sand battled tenaciously to beat Golden Shoe by a head, after Iron Major flattered to deceive before finishing third.
“She’s well named — that’s her third win here and it was well deserved after an unlucky run the last night,” stated Lyons. “She’ll be a lovely filly next year.”
Apprentice Robbie Downey is enjoying a tremendous winter season in Dundalk and was on the mark again when recent course Hello Humpfrey, trained by Peter Casey, defied a 10lb hike in the ratings and top-weight in a division of the Dundalk Stadium On Facebook Handicap.
The four-year-old Hurricane Run gelding, described by Francis Casey as “a good ground hurdler that’s on the market“, found plenty for Downey’s pressure to beat Wagadoogoochoochoo by a neck.
The shortest-priced favourite of the night, 8/11 shot Elusive Ice came unstuck in the six-furlong Crowne Plaza Maiden as she proved no match for the Kevin Prendergast-trained Cottrell, who was opening his account at the 12th attempt under Chris Hayes, who praised the winning owners for their patience.
Successful in the opener, Murtagh was denied a double in the finale when, having mastered front-running favourite Timjoe, his mount Carried was nailed on the line and beaten a short-head by the John Egan-ridden Juara.
