PAUL Flynn and Dylan Browne McMonagle teamed up to land both divisions of the Anthony McCrave Senior Memorial Handicap over the extended 10-furlongs at Dundalk last Friday evening.
Power Drive got into a good rhythm off the front in division 1 as he made all and kept on powerfully to surge home by four lengths at 7/1 for the trainer’s partner Claire Howes.
Flynn said: “I put Dylan on the last day as Ciara (Flynn) had hurt herself. He thought he needed a hood (in the stalls) and I didn’t want to give Ciara the job with the hood.
“He was spot on and it paid to have him on, great advice the last day from Dylan. He said he would win today.”
Jazz Forever (11/1) was always in the box seat in division 2 and took over a furlong and a half down. He strode on well in the final furlong to oblige by two and a quarter lengths at 11/1 for Paddy McGuire and Patrick Joseph Kelly.
“I think he’s a nice horse and he needs to learn to settle - he was too keen today. Dylan did a great job on him,” Flynn said.
“He’ll need good ground and he’ll go hurdling as well, he jumps really well.”
Winning start
Churchill’s brother Mundi made a winning start to his career in the Get Best Odds Guaranteed At BetVictor Maiden over a mile.
Ryan Moore came in for the ride on Aidan O’Brien’s charge when his intended mount, stablemate Igor Stravinsky, was ruled out with an allergy.
Moore sent him into a narrow lead a furlong and a half out and the 7/2 shot kept on best, under pressure from Dairago in the closing stages, to score by half a length in the colours of Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs John Magnier.
Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “He’s a horse with plenty of size, he’s got an unbelievable pedigree and he was just ready to start.
“He was a little bit babyish through the run and is a horse that is going to progress nicely. Mentally he has got to do a few more things right. We’ll just take it in baby steps and go for a winners’ race, and take him along gradually.”
Dairago’s jockey Seamie Heffernan was found in breach of the rule governing frequency with the whip and was handed a suspension of 16 race days as it was his fourth offence.
Make Clear stays out and clear
MAKE Clear (16/1) bounced away smartly for Shane Foley in the Grand National Lucky Dip At BetVictor Handicap and made every post a winning one.
The four-year-old filly kept up the gallop to see off Phil’s Dream by half a length in the colours of owner Barry Davis on her Irish debut, having previously raced in Britain for Robert Cowell.
Winning trainer Peter McCreery said: “In all of her races in England, she was like lightning out of the stalls and flew out of them. She had winning form at Lingfield and was second four times as well. It (7,000 gns price) looks alright this evening!”
Gesture (9/2) was another horse to dominate off the front in the Greyhound Racing Every Weekend Handicap as he brought up a double for Foley.
His rivals couldn’t land a blow as he blasted home by four and three-quarter lengths for Mrs B Cosgrove and Melissa O’Neill.
Trainer Eoghan O’Neill said: “He worked really well the other morning, so we were quite confident that he had improved enough to handle the 4lb for winning the other day (Dundalk in February). He’ll go to Leopardstown next in about three weeks.”
PROUDLY Yours (3/1) certainly knew her job when winning on debut for Ger Lyons in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over the minimum trip.
The Mehmas filly stayed on in second approaching the final furlong and soon came with her challenge. Colin Keane drove her home in the final 100 yards to strike by half-a-length for Trevor Stewart.
The jockey said: “The boss has kind of been a bit easier on the two-year-olds this year. They have only done a handful of breezes over three furlongs as such.
“Everything she has done, she has done very professionally at home and we were adamant that she was ready to start and that she would handle the good surface.
“You would imagine that she is a filly that would have no problem going an extra furlong during the summer and, hopefully, can build into a blacktype filly.”
Final-furlong battle
Transcending Glory’s seasonal reappearance went to plan as he won a final-furlong battle with the favourite Spanish Cara by a length in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden.
Johnny Murtagh’s Cotai Glory gelding was pipped by a head over the same six-furlong trip at Dundalk in November.
After he got off the mark at 9/4 for Kildare Racing Syndicate & Kilmichael Racing Syndicate, jockey Ben Coen said: “To be fair, he kept finding for me for pressure and I think there would be no problem getting another furlong or two. He’s bred to want a little bit further, so probably in time you’ll see him at seven furlongs or a mile.”
Denis Hogan’s El Bello availed of a drop in class to 47-65 company in the Friday 12th July Ladies Day At Dundalk Stadium Handicap over seven furlongs.
The grey got to grips with Ferrybank entering the final furlong and took the honours by a length at 15/2 for Longevity Racing Club.
Jockey Daniel King said: “He travelled everywhere there for me today and, when I gave him a squeeze, he picked up and did it nicely in the end.”