Shane Foley completes 22-1 double at Dundalk
NOT FOR CATCHING: Whatchadoin and Seamie Heffernan win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction Maiden at Dundalk on Wednesday. Picture: Healy Racing
Shane Foley completed a fine 22-1 double on Anushka and Irin Lily in yesterday’s two-year-old maiden action in Dundalk.
Runner-up on his debut at the Curragh, the Jessica Harrington-trained Iron Lily outpointed Evening Blues (having his first run since being gelded) by more than a length in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2-Y-0 Maiden.
Foley said: “He’s a genuinely nice horse — he handled the soft ground in the Curragh but moved like a bird on that surface today.
“Jessie and Kate gave him plenty of time. He won nicely and is really a next year project. He’s very laid-back and isn’t a slow horse. He’s a nice prospect for next spring — we might start him back over seven before he steps up to a mile.”
The first leg of Foley’s juvenile double was Henry de Bromhead’s Anushka who opened her account, at the third attempt, in the fillies’ equivalent, beating a bunch of promising newcomers, with three-quarters of a length to spare over What About Us.
“Her Navan form was strong,” stated Foley. “This was the first time I’ve sat on her and she gave me a nice feel.
“We didn’t go overly fast and we dashed up the straight. She did everything properly. It was easy for me and she’s a nice prospect.”
The two-year-old auction maiden went to 76-rated Whatchadoin, ridden for Josh Halley by Seamus Heffernan, a length and a quarter superior to Fox In Flight.
And Heffernan completed a double when Voice Of Reason, whose only previous win came at Killarney back in July 2023, landed the finale, the Happy Halloween Handicap, digging deep to see off top-weight and favourite Lady Kai by three-quarters of a length.
Having his first start since being gelded and backed into 5-2 favourite, Daler belatedly opened his account for Ger Lyons in a division of the Halloween Mid-Term Racing At Dundalk Handicap, forging clear to slam Comfort Line by four lengths and giving Gary Carroll his 48th success of the campaign.
“He has promised to do that, but was dropping himself out at the start and coming home well,” commented Lyons. “He looks as well as he’s looked all season — he’s filling into himself. This was long overdue and, if he’s okay, he’ll be back here next Wednesday.”
The Natalia Lupini-trained Fleetfootsoldier, as big as 16-1 in the morning and backed into 7-2, landed the opening optional claimer, a 66th winner of the season for Ben Coen, and was subsequently acquired by James McAuley to be trained by Denis Hogan.
Ado McGuinness was ion the mark when Nikki Swango (9-4 favourite) bolted up in the Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Stadium Handicap, scampering clear under Adam Caffrey to trounce Eric Lock by three and a half lengths.
And the biggest shock of the afternoon came when the Keith Clarke-trained 25-1 shot Albion Power (Luce McAteer) pipped Auburn Avenue in the second division of the 0-70 mile handicap.
