SEAMIE Heffernan felt Mountain Bear could be one for the Ballydoyle Breeders’ Cup team after his victory at Dundalk last Friday night.

The No Nay Never colt had been knocking on the door in stakes company and made no mistake this time in the seven-furlong Listed Star Appeal Stakes.

Heffernan held his mount up early in the seven-furlong contest and the 10/3 shot showed a fine turn of foot to come with a strong surge inside the final furlong to beat stablemate Battle Cry by a length and three-quarters.

“He’ll have no trouble getting a mile and I liked the performance,” said the winning jockey.

“He ran very straight and hard to the line, he wasn’t looking for a way out so he could have a future when he’s mature.

“I’m sure Aidan (O’Brien) has plenty lined up for the Breeders’ Cup but I don’t see why he wouldn’t go.”

Perfect Pipsy

Pipsy ended her juvenile campaign on a real high note when securing a valuable blacktype success in the five-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Legacy Stakes.

Ger Lyons’ charge dropped back to the minimum trip having won her maiden at the Curragh over six 13 days previously.

The Kodiac filly was prominent throughout, hitting the lead under two furlongs from home, and galloped on strongly in the closing stages for Colin Keane to beat Alabama by a length and a half.

“At the Curragh I said ‘this one is getting quicker’ so I nominated this race straight away,” said Lyons, of the 3/1 winner.

“The break will come now at a nice time and we’ll let her wind down, grow up and mature.

“It’s cracking to get winning blacktype for Patrick (Cosgrove), who is an owner/breeder so that’s what it’s all about to him.”

HARRY’S Bar bounced back to winning ways to record his eighth victory at Dundalk in the Gateway Hotel Race & Stay Handicap.

Cian MacRedmond produced his mount from the rear to lead inside the final furlong to record a neck victory over The Highway Rat in a tight finish to the five-furlong conditions event.

Trainer Ado McGuinness said of the 10/1 winner:- “He’s been a great money spinner. I’m delighted with him and Cian gave him a great ride.

“He’s entered in the Mercury Stakes and we’ll bring him back for that. A huge thing with him here is that he needs that inside draw as he’s inclined to lug when he’s on the outside, I don’t know why.

“Small fields suit him and he’s just so much better on the all-weather than he is on the grass.”

Another old favourite on the all-weather is the Tom McCourt-trained Inishmot Prince and he recorded his sixth course win in the opening five-furlong handicap.

James Ryan found a gap inside the final furlong as his mount led in the closing stages to record a length win over Eglish at odds of 11/2.

“He’s been a right old servant to me, Tom and the owner (Oliver Curtis),” said Ryan.

“He’s been disappointing on the grass but he’s very consistent when he gets back here. He’s a quirky old horse but once he puts his mind to it he’s well able to do it.”

ANDY Oliver was out of luck early on when The Highway Rat was edged out after missing the kick in the conditions sprint but had a better time later when recording a double.

King Of Gosford came with a well-timed surge to land the spoils in the seven-furlong nursery under Billy Lee.

The 5/2 favourite grabbed Courageous Strike close home to record a neck victory in the colours of Trevor Dalzell.

“We were a bit disappointed at the Curragh (finished seventh) but we just thought it was the ground,” said Oliver.

“He’s a genuine fast ground horse and is a lovely moving horse so we just saved him for here.

“He got a nice clean run and it looks like he’ll get the mile.”

Oliver doubled up when Jack Red Cloud battled on gamely to land the Michael Cooney Memorial Maiden under Ben Coen.

The Sioux Nation gelding led after a couple of furlongs but had to dig deep when almost joined by Local Girl over a furlong from home, sticking on well in the closing stages to record a length-and-a-quarter win.

Oliver said of the 9/1 winner: “He had a very nice run first time at Leopardstown and we expected him to improve but I was the most stunned man at Punchestown on his next run.

“When I watched it again the ground was very chopped on the inside and he just wasn’t going.

“We were reasonably hopeful, you can never be confident, and we just said to Ben to keep it as straightforward as he could.”

Bag a brace

Billy Lee also went on to bag a brace when partnering Dandyville to success in the seven-furlong handicap.

Natalia Lupini’s charge went to post 2/1 favourite and led inside the final furlong to record a hard fought half-length win over Hightimeyouwon.

“He was carrying top weight today so he performed well,” said Lupini. “Huge credit to the owners (Dr J Syndicate) as well, they bred him and they are local to the yard. We have him nominated for Dubai so we’ll see what happens.”

Another rewarded for their consistency was the Jim Bolger-trained Machnamh in the concluding 10-furlong handicap.

Rory Cleary produced the Teofilo filly to lead under two furlongs out and the 14/1 shot went on to record a length success over Ninth Life.

“She’s a genuine filly and she tries hard. The boss saw an opportunity here over a mile and a quarter and we thought we’d see if she’d handle the surface,” said travelling head man Ger Flynn.

“Rory said she handled the surface really well and we’ll probably come back up here again for something similar in the next couple of weeks.”