CHAMPION jockey Colin Keane was back in action at Dundalk for the first time this year and booted home a treble for a trio of trainers.

The middle leg of his treble was Deed Pole (9/2) in the Floodlit Fridays At Dundalk Handicap and this five-year-old gelding provided trainer Cian Hughes with his first racecourse success.

Keane had him disputing the lead a furlong and a half out, however, Dromore Glory proved to be a tough opponent and led narrowly in the closing stages, before Deed Pole rallied to get up by a short head on the line for owner Noel Flanagan.

Hughes said: “I’m from Celbridge. I got the licence last summer and am mostly breaking and pre-training. We have plenty of horses around at the moment, we like to sell them.

“He was crying out for that trip (a mile and a half), he’s a Poet’s Word. He might jump hurdles in the spring and the summer.”

Praise

Danny Murphy was full of praise for Keane’s ride aboard Tam Lin (16/5) in the DundalkStadium.com Handicap over seven furlongs.

The Starspangledbanner gelding led early in the straight and was strongly pressed in the final furlong, but dug deep to prevail by a neck in the colours of Mrs John Murphy.

Murphy said: “I said as soon as Colin Keane gets one ride on that horse, he will win, because he doesn’t go for the stick. I actually thought he was beaten a furlong down, but he got him back up.”

Genoah built upon his victory in a maiden at this venue in November, when following up over the same extended mile and a quarter trip in the View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Handicap.

The Alto Equine Building Solutions representative tracked the leaders and made progress entering the straight. Keane sent him on two furlongs from home and the pair kept up the gallop to sail in by a length and a quarter to justify even-money favouritism.

Trainer Michael O’Callaghan said: “Different type of race to the maiden that he won, but that race worked out very well. I think there is a race for him at the end of the month in Lingfield, it is the all-weather middle-distance trial. I don’t know about finals day, but that race is a nice pot. It is a 45 grand race over a mile and a quarter, so we might go there with him.”

SPICY Margarita’s price tumbled from 17/2 to 7/2 joint-favourite for the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Fillies Maiden over seven furlongs and the support proved well-founded.

Wayne Lordan settled her close to the pace and rode her to the front, racing into the final quarter of a mile. She opened up by two and three-quarter lengths in the final furlong to score for Amo Racing Limited and Giselle De Aguiar.

Adrian Murray said: “It was a lovely performance. I didn’t think she was a world-beater, but she did it well there today and Wayne was just saying that she would have no problem seeing out a mile. She has a great pedigree and cost plenty, but she looks like she could repay all that now.”

I’m Spartacus gave Ado McGuinness and Adam Caffrey a winner in the Put The Fun In Fundraising At Dundalk Handicap.

The 10/3 joint favourite delivered his challenge approaching the final furlong and hit the front 100 yards out. He then saw it out by half a length from stablemate Clonmacash.

The trainer said: “Both times he has been drawn well up here, the horse has won. A good draw today and Adam was very good on him. He belongs to Paddy McKeever, former Armagh footballer, and his cousin Conor McKeever, who is American-based.”

TROPICAL Retreat improved upon an opening fourth on the Polytrack in December, when landing the Group Deals Available At Dundalk Stadium Maiden over five furlongs under champion apprentice James Ryan.

The 2/1 joint favourite was held up towards the rear and travelled well into contention on the run to the final furlong. She picked it up in the final 100 yards and hit the line half a length to the good for Mrs Helen Mullins.

Tom Mullins said: “The drop back in trip worked lovely - she has plenty of speed and there is plenty of speed in the family. She will get the six (furlongs) alright, because she is very chilled out.”

Successful start

Solomon Coop (9/1) made a winning start to life with Eamonn O’Connell as a plan came together in the Book Online @ DundalkStadium.com Maiden.

The well-backed 9/1 shot was in fourth halfway and improved for Killian Leonard into the straight. They held a share of the lead a furlong down and kept on best in the closing stages to strike by half a length. “We bought him on an online sale, we thought there was a bit to work with. We took a chance on him,” owner/trainer O’Connell said.

“He had a bit of form and we just decided to drop him in a bit today. He was making the running a lot on the last few runs, so it worked today.”

Scott Lang (5/2) doubled his win total in the Dundalk Winter Series Leading Trainer & Jockey Championship Handicap over two miles.

He tracked Inchiquin Maid and Nicola Burns sent him about his business a furlong from home. The pair then held Inchiquin Maid by half a length for Paul Flynn and the Staysallday Syndicate.

Burns said: “I was sitting second and just let him relax a bit, and he did. Then going down the back straight, I knew he was a stayer so I kind of put a bit of pressure on. He kicked on coming home and stayed on well up the straight.”