ALL-WEATHER specialist Captain Joy rolled back the years with a first win in almost two years when landing the featured Sun Bets Race at Dundalk and in the process gained qualification for Lingfield’s All-Weather Championships on Good Friday for Herb Stanley.

The Tracey Collins-trained nine-year-old was previously successful in the Lingfield’s All-Weather Mile Championships in March 2016 and was today completing a double under jockey Pat Smullen.

The son of Dark Angel tracked leader Geological for much of the trip and was produced to lead over a furlong out before scoring a three-quarter-length win over Beach Bar.

Heavily backed 4/6 favourite Glastonbury Song missed the break and never looked likely to win, before eventually finished a well-held fourth.

A delighted Collins commented: “He’s a star and he’s a very genuine, consistent horse. He was off the track for a long time and has come on well from the run the last day.

“Not too many have won three Qualifiers and he’ll go straight now to Lingfield.

“Hazel (Wallace) looks after him and she does a super job. She rides work for us, she drives the box – she’s a great girl. He takes a lot of work. He’s getting that bit older now that he takes a little bit more.”

Eight-time champion jockey Smullen had earlier initiated his double on the Michael Halford-trained, Aga Khan-owned Karakour to make a winning debut from the outside draw in the Meridian Security Ltd Maiden.

The grey Dalakhani gelding was burdened with the ‘car-park draw’ in 14 and, though friendless in the market (2/1 in the morning, returned a 7/1 chance), raced with the pace throughout and in the end battled gamely to beat Griffyndor by a head.

Halford reported: “I was delighted with him; he’s a very green horse and it’s a lot to ask first time out from a wide draw. Pat did really well to get a good position on him, and when he was challenged he tries really hard.

“He’s a typical Aga Khan horse as he’s lazy at home but he did well to rally back.”

CAREER

At the other end of the riding spectrum, jockey Conor Heavey partnered his first career winner, when steering Gunmaker to a surprise 20/1 win in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Apprentice Handicap for Welsh Grand National-winning trainer Gavin Cromwell.

Heavey, having just his 11th ride, held the son of Canford Cliffs up in rear for most of the race but the pair scooted past their rivals from the two-furlong pole, and in the end headed heavily backed 5/4 favourite Texas Radio close home, before scoring a three-quarter-length win.

Gunmaker had previously failed to win in nine starts for David Simcock and, having been bought for 8,000gns on November 2nd, he was returning €6,160 to the winning Gibirish Syndicate.

Afterwards, Cromwell said: “Conor has been with me the guts of two years. He went to RACE and never sat on a horse until he went there. He’s from Duleek, just down the road from me.”

Noel Meade’s experienced hurdler She’s A Star gained a fifth career win in the Marshes Shopping Centre Handicap when battling gamely for a short-head win under jockey Shane Foley.

The daughter of Well Chosen was also adding this evening’s win to a previous flat maiden success gained at Navan in October 2016, and Meade stated: “She’s run a few good races but a lot of the time they haven’t been going quick enough and she’s run very free and takes a lot out of herself.

“She goes to Leopardstown for the mares’ handicap hurdle at the Dublin Festival meeting next month. She ran well at Leopardstown at Christmas but she was too free and was getting too much daylight.

“Philip (Meade, part-owner) is no relation but he’s from the next parish and has a huge business supplying potatoes and vegetables to the likes of Lidl and Aldi.”

SUCCESS

Racing began with the Dundalk Business Club 2018 Handicap which was won by the Damian English-trained Bluesbreaker who was gaining a fourth career success under jockey Rory Cleary.

The six-year-old gelding was purchased by English for just 800gns at Tattersalls in July 2015 and has now moved his career earnings to €33,000.

English said: “It wasn’t undeserved. He ran a blinder here over five before Christmas, and then we took the blinkers off here the last day over a mile but he was still a bit too keen. We dropped him back to five tonight and he was brilliant.

“That’s his fourth win and the fourth time Rory has won on him so he definitely has the key to him.

“He’ll tip away here and is a big, fat horse and hard to get fit. Cork in April is going to be his main aim as he grows an extra leg on soft ground. He just gets away with the all-weather here.

The Pat Martin-trained Reckless Lad gained his eighth career win when landing the Anglo Printers Claiming Race under jockey Killian Leonard for owner Derek Molloy.

The eight-year-old gelding was produced by Leonard to lead over a furlong out and in the end stayed on well to beat 10-year-old Six Silver Lane by half a length.

Martin said: “He can’t compete in handicaps any more and we’ll stay in claimers now. He’s won seven races here and has been a great servant. Killian gave him a great ride.”

Runner-up Six Silver Lane, a 13-time winner, was subsequently the subject of a ‘friendly’ claim by connections for €9,000, while sixth-placed Surewhynot was claimed by trainer Gavin Cromwell for €5,000.

DRAW

Guanabara Bay was the second horse to overcome the widest 14 draw and win on the evening, as the Ado McGuinness-trained gelding won the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Apprentice Handicap.

Jockey Robbie Downey steered the five-year-old to a half-length win over Tee Ranger.

McGuinness said: “We’d a shocking bad draw and I told Robbie (Downey) to jump and get as far forward as you can. He wasn’t in a great position but everything fell perfect for him (in the home straight) and he likes to come late.

“We might come back here over six (furlongs) next week. I’m delighted for Sean Gallagher who is a great patron of ours and he’s now had a first and a second tonight.”

Palace Guard made a winning handicap debut in the concluding E McGahon, McGuinness & Co Handicap, scoring for trainer Joseph O’Brien and his jockey brother Donnacha O’Brien for owners the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate.

The son of Shamardal was held up in mid-division before producing his effort to lead with a furlong to race.

At the line, Palace Guard beat War Hero by three-quarters of a length.

Winning jockey Donnacha O’Brien said: “That’s his first run on the all-weather and he handled it well.”

Acting Stewards

L McFerran, R Dore, P Dunican, Capt S. Walford, H. Hynes

Horse To Follow

TEXAS RADIO (J. Feane): He was a heavily backed beaten favourite but bumped into a good winner and compensation in a similar event awaits.