AIDAN O’Brien and Ryan Moore plundered a double on the Polytrack last Friday evening courtesy of Air Commander and Hans Andersen.
Air Commander was very well supported down to 4/7 favourite for The Dundalk Stadium Open All Summer Maiden.
Moore bounced him out smartly to lead over this seven-furlong trip, but he came off the bridle into the straight. Apricot Ice narrowly headed him on the run to the final furlong, however, Air Commander rallied in the closing stages to score by half a length for the Coolmore partners.
Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “He has options, he could be one for the Blackwater Handicap at Naas in a couple of weeks. We’ll just take him baby steps and see how he progresses.
“He’ll definitely go up to a mile next start and he could end up being a mile and a-quarter horse.”
Hans Andersen was another odds-on shot (4/6 favourite) to prevail for O’Brien and Moore in The Dundalk Stadium Group Deals Available Race.
The Frankel colt was sent about his business with over a furlong to travel and wasn’t unduly troubled in coming in by a length and a quarter.
Armstrong said: “Obviously, he won the trial at Leopardstown this time last year, disappointed in the French Guineas, and Aidan never really had a clean run with him after that.
“It is nice to have an older horse like him at somewhere between a mile and a quarter and a mile and a-half on nice ground. He might got for something like the Mooresbridge (at the Curragh) over a mile and a quarter, depending on the ground, and he is a horse to look forward to for the season.”
O’Brien and Moore combined with Mother Nature who was pipped by a short-head by Higher Leaves (11/4) in The Irishinjuredjockeys.com Fillies Maiden over the extended 10 furlongs.
The two horses disputed first prize in the final furlong, but it was Higher Leaves who put her head on the line for Henry de Bromhead and Billy Lee.
Lee, in John Halley and Mrs Ciara Hogan’s colours, said: “She will probably get a mile and a-half. She goes on any type of ground, she ran on real soft ground at the backend of last year and she has handled the all-weather well there. She is versatile that way.
“Hopefully she is a nice filly to go forward with.”
WESLEY Joyce made all on Miss Black Jack (7/2) who stormed five and a half lengths clear in The Friday 12th July Ladies Day At Dundalk Handicap.
John O’Donoghue trained the winner for Fawzi Abdulla Nass and said: “We were expecting at least a top three finish. I didn’t expect her to do it that easily now - the five off her back and she is improving away. Her siblings have improved at three and hopefully she follows the same route.
“I might take her to Wolverhampton for a fillies’ handicap next Saturday. She has won well there, so we will see what we get in the weights.”
Moondharrig brought up his third victory from his last four appearances in Dundalk when obliging in The View Restaurant Summer Offer At Dundalk Stadium Handicap.
Joyce doubled up on the 7/2 favourite who raced prominently and went on fully three furlongs from home. The four-year-old gelding didn’t relent as he kept up the gallop to win by three and a-quarter lengths for owner Mrs Christina Hughes.
Trainer Eoin Doyle said: “He was impressive tonight, he picked up well. He was left in front a long way out, but he said he kept finding and finding and finding.”
THERE was another big-priced winner in the second division of The Gateway Hotel Dundalk Race & Stay Apprentice Handicap.
Shining Aitch (16/1) dropped back in trip for this mile race and made relentless headway for James Ryan. He arrived into the lead a furlong down and stayed on best to win by three-quarters of a length for owners Mrs Caroline Jordan, Mrs Pauline McCourt and Anthony Davitt.
Trainer Tom McCourt said: “He has loads of ability, but he has just been frustrating. We put the visor on him at home the other day and James was mad about him, he was very confident. He worked with Arbaawi and went seriously well.
“A mile, you are going to have a strong pace and he needs to be coming off a strong pace really.”
David Marnane’s Jered Maddox bounced back to winning ways at 22/1 in The Book Online At DundalkStadium.com Handicap.
The eight-year-old gelding, owned by City Equine II Syndicate, was asked for more by Luke McAteer a quarter of a mile out and improved to fifth racing past the furlong pole. He soon grabbed the lead and stayed on nicely to strike by a length and three quarters.
McAteer said: “The handicapper didn’t miss him when he won at Laytown (in September). He has been running well and has only been beaten a couple of lengths.
“Turning in, I had plenty to do and he went through the gears nicely, and picked up and won. Hopefully there is another day in him.”
Bright Dick made the breakthrough at the 18th time of asking in first division of The Gateway Hotel Dundalk Race & Stay Apprentice Handicap.
The 20/1 chance won a closing-stages battle with Super Cub by a length and a-quarter for owner/trainer Luke Comer.
Assistant trainer Jim Gorman said: “He has been knocking on the door a long time!”