CHAMPION apprentice James Ryan was seen to good effect when completing a 30/1 plus double aboard Donna Nook and En Or.
Donna Nook was given plenty of time to develop by connections after making her debut at Leopardstown back in July and the Juddmonte home-bred daughter of Bated Breath showed the benefit by taking the seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Race in decisive fashion.
The 7/2 shot headed the front-running Wizard Of Odds about a furlong out, before keeping on strongly to beat that rival by two lengths.
Trainer Ger Lyons’ brother and assistant Shane said: “We started her in mid-summer and then she went through a growing spurt, so we took our time and she is after repaying us back in spades.
“We’ll speak to the connections to see what we will do for the spring and James said she will want a mile next year.”
Top weight and top class
Tony Martin was full of praise for Ryan after En Or defied topweight with some style in the Dundalk Stadium Gift Vouchers Available Online Handicap.
The Tony Martin-trained gelding had gained both previous victories over longer trips, but appeared to relish this drop back to an extended one mile and two furlongs and the 6/1 chance stretched clear inside the final furlong to beat Come On The Lads by an easy three and a half lengths.
“The young fella that rode him is the up-and-coming Colin Keane. I don’t tie them down to instructions, lads like that. His plan was to ride him two or three, but they were going so fast he was last. That’s what those good jockeys are for,” said Martin.
Winning owner, John Hartnett made the trip from America to enjoy the victory, as Martin explained: “John told me he was coming over, so we tried to plot where we could run. He worked well last week and, fortunately, it all worked out.”
DAVID Marnane is already dreaming of Royal Ascot next summer after Ja’marr followed up a victory here last month for owners MRC International in the Now Racing Every Wednesday At Dundalk Nursery.
The well-supported 85/40 favourite was prominent throughout under Luke McAteer and, despite wandering about after striking the front a furlong out, kept on well to hold the strong challenge of Bishopton by a neck.
“I’d say the first two home looked pretty nice horses.
“Our guy quickens up well and is still not the finished product by a long way. He was probably idling in front,” said the Bansha trainer.
“He wants top of the ground and could progress into something like a Britannia. We’ll put him away now for the year and bring him back with one or two runs and see if he creeps up to the high 80s.”
Ado’s army
The Irishinjuredjockeys.com Claiming Race proved a real triumph for Ado McGuinness, as Comfort Line led home a 1-2-3 for the Lusk trainer.
The well-backed 9/2 chance was recording his fifth win here in the past 12 months for Dooley Thoroughbreds and kept on strongly inside the final furlong for Jack Kearney to beat Skontonovski by three-quarters of a length with Nikki Swango completing the stable domination just a neck further away in third.
Sean Davis was given a five-day ban for his use of the whip on Sayifyouwill (fourth).
McGuinness said: “I wasn’t expecting a 1-2-3 to be honest, but it was great. He’s been a great servant and is rock-solid in his grade - a good fun horse.”
McGuinness held onto the winner with a friendly claim of 10,000, but lost both placed horses as Skontonovski went to Ger O’Leary for 10,000 and Nikki Swango joins John McConnell for 5,000.
Sayifyouwill was claimed by Stephen Thorne’s Shamrock Thoroughbreds for 12,500.
Strong support
Ohmyviette stepped forward from two previous outings at Dundalk, when justifying strong support in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
The Willie Browne-trained gelding, available at 15/2 earlier in the day and supported on track from 9/2 into 11/4, was held up in rear by Manoel Marques Dos Santos before making good headway a furlong out and, despite hanging badly right, kept on well to beat 6/4 favourite Sharkii by half a length.
“He didn’t settle at all the last day and, when we got him back, he seemed to have a mouth ulcer that we treated,” said Browne.
“He’s very big and I’d imagine a little bit of a break would suit him. We’ll see what the owner (Leidiana Marques) thinks.”
NAKASERO added to a win at Killarney this summer, when coming out best in an exciting finish to the Book Online At DundalkStadium.com Handicap.
Trained in partnership by Michael Halford and Tracey Collins for Mark Phelan, the 11/4 favourite was one of many still in with a shout over a furlong out and kept on gamely for Ronan Whelan to beat Rock Etoile by a head.
“He showed a great willingness, and Ronan gave him a super ride. The early pace was very strong and he had a wide enough passage from his draw, so they did well,” said Halford.
“He had a tough enough race there, so we will see how he comes out of it.”
Hasiyna appreciated the drop back to six furlongs, when getting off the mark at the 14th attempt in the Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Stadium Handicap.
The 14/1 shot travelled sweetly early in the straight and kept on well under pressure inside the final furlong for Jamie Powell to beat Wild Mountain by a neck.
Owner/trainer John McConnell said: “It has taken me about a year to get her trip right, but we got there in the end! She looks like a sprinter there and has just started to fill out.”