ECLAIRAGE was the first leg of a double for jockey Declan McDonogh on the Polytrack on Friday evening.
The daughter of Kuroshio has shown a real fondness for five furlongs and brought up her hat-trick in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race after adopting her customary tactics of making all.
The 4/11 favourite was a couple of lengths clear halfway and powered home by three and a quarter lengths for owner Siobhan Murphy.
Trainer Danny Murphy said: “I’m going to give her a break now and I’ll bring her back, and let’s see what she is like on the grass next year.
“We might think about Good Friday in Britain - Lingfield around the bend might suit her better than Newcastle. We’ll look at that. You wouldn’t be able to stop her (going from the front), she goes like a rocket.”
Double for McDonogh
McDonogh brought up his brace on 7/4 favourite Honeysuckle Rose in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Fillies Maiden.
Joseph O’Brien’s charge tracked the leaders and was ridden to the front a furlong down. She asserted in the closing stages to sweep in by two and a quarter lengths for Cayton Park Stud.
The jockey said: “She handled the surface well tonight, jumped good and put herself in a lovely position. I let Shane (Foley on Shamanka) go and I got a nice lead.
“When I gave her a crack, she actually picked up very well and was very strong at the finish. She is going to get further, so she is a nice type.”
Daamberdiplomat dropped his head on the line in a thrilling Free €50 Bet With www.swiftysports.ie Handicap.
The first five horses home were separated by less than a length, and 2/1 favourite Daamberdiplomat kept on well inside the final furlong to get up by a nose for Colin Keane and the Whyte Hickey Rafter Kilkenny Syndicate.
When asked if he thought he was up, Johnny Murtagh replied: “I didn’t know now to tell you the truth! We were on the line and, in all fairness to Colin, he said he just got his head down at the right time. He is effective over the six here and Colin says he gets the surface really well.”
THE Bear Trap (7/1) made the breakthrough at the 18th time of asking in the Swifty Sports Proud Sponsor Of Irish Racing Maiden for owner Brian Geoghegan.
He saw off Prince Of Eyeries by a neck in the hands of Nathan Crosse, but had to survive a stewards enquiry, after bumping that rival approaching the final 100 yards.
Trainer John Geoghegan said: “We are delighted to get a maiden out of him. We thought he would have won by now.
“He got chinned on the line here last year and he had been unlucky in a few handicaps. He ran in two handicaps up the Curragh and got stopped one day. The next day, he got knocked out after two furlongs, so his race was over.”
Viva Voce (11/2) added to his six victories in Britain, when delivering in Division 2 of the Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Stadium Apprentice Handicap in Dundalk.
He was always prominent and led in the straight. Man Is King, who he took over from, found for pressure in the final furlong, but was half a length in arrears at the winning post.
Jockey Jack Cleary said: “Tom (McGuinness, trainer) said he was in good form at home, he was hoping he would run another big race here tonight. He was due his win tonight, so it was great to get it.”
The seven-year-old gelding scored in the colours of Stephen McGuinness. Cian Fahy was handed a three-day suspension for frequency with the whip on fourth-placed Turbo Sprint.
THE Up The Blues Syndicate were out in force to cheer Daonethatgotaway home in Division 1 of the Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Stadium Apprentice Handicap.
The 3/1 shot rolled home best of all under Keithen Kennedy to fend off 7/4 favourite Tribal Moon by three-parts of a length.
Mark Fahey said: “It is a local syndicate, it is the local club Monasterevin. Mark Kelly runs it and all the boys used to play for Monasterevin - Keithen, who rode him today, and Ronan Whelan all used to play football for Monasterevin. It is a complete local success and it is like a county final!”
Wayne Hassett was given a nine-day suspension for riding carelessly aboard ninth-placed Suityourselfboss.
Gavin Cromwell’s Pepper Noir (7/4 favourite) won over the mile and a half trip in the Happy Christmas From All At Dundalk Handicap.
The three-year-old filly raced prominently and forged on well in the final furlong to strike by a length and three-quarters for Mrs Maria McCullen Harvey.
Jockey Gary Carroll said: “She is very game and she is maybe getting up to her limit. She loves that surface and tries very hard, so there is every chance she might just step forward again.”
Back in the game
It was almost a year ago that Senado Square got his head in front in Dundalk and he got back to winning ways in the William Hill Top Price Guarantee Handicap.
Cian Horgan worked him to the front at the furlong pole and the 8/1 shot withstood I’m Spartacus by a neck for Andy Slattery and the Punchestown Friends Syndicate.
Assistant trainer Brian Slattery said: “That might be Cian’s last ride, because he is heading to England. He might have to put it off now until Wednesday, because he is in again then.
“Cian gets on very well with him, he is not straightforward in the stalls. Cian has done a lot of work with him in the stalls and he has done a great job on him.”
Julian Pietropaolo picked up two careless riding bans totalling six days for his ride aboard sixth-placed Hezahunk.