Tipperary apprentice Orla Tynan completes first double in Dundalk

MAKE MINE A DOUBLE: Soldier's Tree and Orla Tynan win for trainer Matty Tynan. Pic: Healy Racing

Tipperary apprentice Orla Tynan had a night to remember in Dundalk as she rode out her 10lb. claim on Kitty Bear before completing her first double on Soldier’s Tree, owned and trained by her grandfather Matty.

“I had a mare called Like A Dream back in the day and that sums this up,” stated a delighted Matty Tynan after Soldier’s Tree won the apprentice maiden.

“This fellow’s dam Moontri won four in a row here – and that’s the way she raced. The plan was to jump out and hope for the best.

“We gave Orla her first winner and now this - it’s the icing on the cake. We might run him in big handicaps on the grass, with light weights, so Orla can ride him.”

Earlier, Tynan, who described the night as “unreal, unbelievable”, ended her 10lb. claim as Kitty Bear (14/1) took the 0-60 one-mile handicap at the expense of Imperial Fighter.

This winner is trained by the rider’s boss Andy Slattery whose son and namesake had earlier bagged Group 2 glory in Meydan, beating his first cousin Ben Coen in a photo-finish.

Back from a winter break, former champion Colin Keane struck on his first ride of 2026, bringing Paul Sweeney’s Autocrat from the back of the field to foil favourite Porsche Lad in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Claiming Race.

“It’s nice to be back and to have a winner on my first ride back,” said Keane. “He was entitled to win at this level. The drop in trip and grade helped him.”

Ther first division of the seven-furlong maiden was dominated by newcomers as the Stephen Thorne-trained River Of Life (Jack Kearney) got the better of Fate’s Gambit by a half-length.

In the second division, the consistent Flanker Jet, trained by Robson de Aguiar, got off the mark under Gary Carroll, foiling frustrating favourite Astronomically by a half-length.

Rising star Reese Holohan registered his first success since losing his 10lb. claim when taking the BAR 1 Betting Download Our New App 3-Y-0 Handicap on Paul Flynn’s 18/1 shot Dawn Flame.

The Lope Y Fernandez colt stayed on dourly to hold Whatchadoin by a half-length, prompting his trainer to declare; “I backed him last week and thought he’d win, but he was trapped wide and pure green and didn’t do a stroke.

"He had bottom weight tonight and it was a lot smoother.”