LORD Dudley’s sustained rise up the ranks reached a new high last Friday week as Kieran Cotter’s relentless improver saw off all challengers in the €80,000 Mallow Handicap over seven furlongs.

The biggest winner in the brief career of jockey Jake Coen, and his trainer’s second premier handicap winner in the last three seasons, Lord Dudley won his first race off a mark of 56 this time last year. This was the start of a remarkable sequence which yielded three wins and five placings from nine starts and the Kildare Racing Club-owned gelding lined up off a mark some 33lb higher than the one he first won off.

Could this notably quick four-year-old be able to last home over the seven furlongs of Cork’s straight track? The 12/1 chance coped admirably with the task having shown in front from early on.

Lord Dudley was actually given most to do by fellow sprinter Blairmayne and the latter possibly edged ahead. Lord Dudley had the stand’s side rail to guide him home in the closing stages though and he edged the tight finish by a neck with Admiralty Place finishing strongly to lie a further head back in third.

“What can you say about the horse? He has come from being a low-grade handicapper, wondering could we win a race, to being here today winning this savage pot. We came down here looking for prize-money and realistically didn’t think we’d take it but we’re on a roll at the moment,” remarked Cotter.

Martinstown makes it

There was a nice type on show in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden over 10 furlongs where Martinstown made a winning debut for Aidan O’Brien. Wayne Lordan was on board this Sue-Ann Foley-owned brother to the high-class Free Wind and there was lots to like about this 5/1 chance.

He was well-placed in fourth approaching the last couple of furlongs and, without Lordan having to get especially vigorous, he ran on very well to the line to edge out the 93-rated Point Gellibrand by half a length. The winner looks a horse with pattern race pretensions.

Bridge crossed

A return to sprinting saw the Ger Lyons-trained Sacred Bridge get back to winning ways in the Listed Goffs Irish EBF Polonia Stakes over five and a half furlongs. This Juddmonte-owned daughter of Bated Breath looked a class act in 2021 when she won at listed and Group 3 level as well as claiming the €300,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes.

After trying her hand over seven furlongs at the start of the season, Sacred Bridge showed that sprinting remains her forte with a likeable success under Colin Keane. The 5/6 favourite was always to the fore and knuckled down very well under pressure over the last furlong and a half to defeat fellow stakes winner Ladies Church by a neck.

“Colin said she got lonely and would have loved a lead - there was more speed on the far side as it turned out,” remarked the trainer’s brother, Shane. “She is in the Group 2 Sandy Lane at Haydock and the Commonwealth Cup but we’ll talk to Barry Mahon.

“She’ll improve in a better class of race when she’ll get plenty of pace.”

THERE was a welcome change of luck for the Tracey Collins-trained Golden Days (5/1) in the 47-65 rated seven furlongs race where the Front Row Partnership-owned five-year-old shed her maiden tag after 17 previous attempts.

The 5/1 chance took control for Ronan Whelan in the closing stages to prevail by three-quarters of a length from Pallasmore Lass whose rider Shane Foley picked up a two-day careless riding ban. “She got into trouble at Leopardstown the last day and full marks to the owners who have persevered with her. She had placed form in the past but had niggly problems and in fairness the owners stuck by me too. It is very much appreciated,” reported Tracey Collins.

Amy Jo Hayes partnered the second winner of her career when Dedillon obliged in the apprentice riders’ handicap over a mile. The Sean Rushe-owned and Andy Slattery-trained 10/1 shot was produced with a well-timed effort to take control and Dedillon defeated Zahee by a length and a half for her fourth success.

Marnane boldness rewarded

A BRAVE initiative by trainer David Marnane has opened up an exciting avenue as Lady Tilbury bolted up in the five-furlong Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden to put herself in line for a crack at the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Last year Marnane set about developing Marnane Racing Club (MRC) International which resulted in the creation of a 40-strong international syndicate who have 19 two-year-olds to carry their colours this year.

Lady Tilbury was the first horse to run for this venture when taking second at Dundalk in the middle of last month and the daughter of Bated Breath stepped forward from that outing to win nicely for Billy Lee. The 7/2 shot fairly tanked through this race and, after getting to the front with over a furlong to run, she kept on well to score by three lengths.

“She is the type of filly to step up to a higher level and we think she is a Queen Mary filly,” commented Marnane. “We had a tendency to buy horses and hold on to them for a long time and not replace them but what we are trying to do now is buy lots of horses and go back to the sales next year and buy the same, if not more, next year. We can train but we need horses, it is as simple as that.”

Furnace blasts

There was also a nice display in the opening six-furlong maiden where the three-year-old Furnace Creek (9/2), in the colours of his breeder Danny Coogan, won well on his third outing.

A son of the shuttle sire Divine Prophet, this colt was second in a Naas maiden on the opening weekend of the season before finding listed company behind him at Navan last time.

Here, Luke McAteer’s mount was vying for the lead throughout and he asserted in likeable fashion over the last furlong to see off Relevant Range by just under two lengths. “He’s learning all the time. I think anything from five to seven furlongs will suit him and he could step up to premier handicap and Group 3 level,” declared trainer James Barrett.