HE may have endured a fallow period for the best part of two years but the David Marnane-trained Freescape has been busy making up for that lately as he added the BetVictor Loyalty Club Handicap to his victory in a rated race a fortnight previously.

The talented six-year-old travelled well before making good progress for Oisin Orr in the straight to strike the front with over a furlong.

At this point the 4/1 favourite didn’t look to be going as well as the challenging Akhlaaq but he still had considerable reserves to call upon and he got home by half a length from his aforementioned rival.

Freescape carries the colours of the City Equine Syndicate and McGettigans Management Services.

“He travelled really well into it but he doesn’t kill himself when he gets to the front. I’d say he will be back here in a couple of weeks for a race over a mile and a quarter and we’ll see about Dubai then,” commented Marnane who revealed that over the course of the autumn he has purchased 19 yearlings to represent the Marnane Racing Club.

Vina Sena’s debut

Each week that passes seems to bring with it the unveiling of another star jumper from Henry de Bromhead’s string but the trainer also has some nice flat prospects to hand as evidenced by Vina Sena’s winning debut in the mile two-year-old maiden.

After finishing third in quite a decent barrier trial here in mid-August, the OTI Racing-owned son of Vadamos impressed on his first taste of competitive action. Billy Lee’s mount improved from midfield to launch a strong challenge on the outside of the field over the last couple of furlongs. The 16/5 chance was nicely on top in the closing stages as he went on to defeat the favourite Rene Artois by two and a quarter lengths.

Coen again

Jake Coen continues to rack up the winners and his latest came in the seven-furlong apprentice riders’ handicap where he combined with Pat Murphy’s Ampeson.

The Newbridge Or Nowhere Syndicate-owned four-year-old registered his first success over this course and distance the previous week and showed a good attitude to defy a 5lb rise in the weights as he cut down the 50/1 shot Sondheim to prevail by half a length.

A TREMENDOUS weight-carrying effort was on show in the five-furlong handicap as the Argentinean-born Meishar shrugged aside the burden of 10st 4lb to notch up his fourth win of the year at Dundalk as he defied a career-high rating of 89.

The James McAuley-owned and trained gelding, who looks better than ever in the closing stages of an industrious year that began with a second in a Curragh maiden on the opening day of the turf season, was trying the minimum trip for the first time. Sam Ewing’s mount got home by a neck from No Speed Limit.

Yes Alexander

It looked as though a double could be on the cards for McAuley when Moshammer took charge of the six-furlong maiden inside the last quarter of a mile.

However, the 15/8 favourite needed the line badly late on as Johnny Murtagh’s 16/1 newcomer No Nay Alexander charged home.

The last-named kept on in very taking fashion for Ben Coen to get on top in the last couple of strides for a neck success. The victorious daughter of No Nay Never is owned by her breeder Noel O’Callaghan.

“I did think she was a nice filly coming here but I would have been happy if she ran in the first three today as she’s just starting off,” declared Murtagh. “Ben said she’ll definitely improve from the run and we’ll see what the owner would like to do.”

Defiant Joupe

Ben Coen then brought up a double as the Peter Lawlor-owned and trained Joupe defied a 12lb hike for her win here last month.

That initial success came over seven furlongs and the Lope De Vega filly was stepping up to an extended mile and a quarter in the first division of the Kathleen Pierce Memorial Handicap but the longer trip wasn’t a problem.

The 2/1 favourite was last approaching the straight but came with an unfaltering charge on the outer from the turn-in to defeat No Show by a length and a half. Wicklow-based Lawlor indicated that his charge would be back at Dundalk on December 17th.

MICHAEL Halford’s Golden Twilight (11/4) continues to look like a horse going places as he made it two handicap wins in succession in the BetVictor-sponsored mile-and-a-half event.

The Frank Lynch-owned four-year-old was just 5lb higher in the weights for scoring over this course and distance a month previously but he was stepping into an altogether stronger race.

Mikey Sheehy set a steady tempo on the four-year-old who picked up the pace in likeable fashion over the last quarter of a mile to get home by a length and a half from Dalvey.

“He relaxed lovely in front and got a very clever ride. He’s won three for us this year and is on the go a while so we might call it a day with him and give him a break until the summer,” declared Halford.

Dr does it

The evening concluded with another winner for Luke Comer as the owner-trainer-breeder struck with Dr Patrick in the second division of the Kathleen Pierce Memorial Handicap.

The four-year-old endured a near miss here a couple of weeks previously and it looked as though a similar fate awaited when Arctic Blaze was bearing down. To his credit though the 9/4 favourite dug in splendidly for Chris Hayes to get home by a head.