TRAINER Adrian Murray, jockey Mikey Sheehy and owners Amo Racing combined for Dundalk doubles on Friday and notably scored with impressive Dubai-bound winner Elegant Man.

A rare 108-rated course runner in January, the Arrogate-colt finished second at listed level at Kempton last month and today, in the Dundalk Winter Series Leading Trainer & Jockey Championship Race, had no difficulty beating capable rivals, defeating 99-rated Tyson Fury by three and a half lengths.

Murray reported: “Elegant Man will probably improve because he is having a little blow. Mikey (Sheehy) said he was still green when he hit the front.

“The form of the listed race (at Kempton) is very strong and that was as good as a Group 2 race you would say.

“He loves this surface and will be kept on this type of surface for the time being, but I could see him going on the grass over the summer. We worked him on the grass, he is a beautiful mover and he doesn’t look like he would have any bother stepping up in trip

Next target

“Kia (Joorabchian, owner) is anxious that he goes to Dubai and that will probably be our next target. We haven’t pinpointed a race but we will talk and see what they want to do.”

Team Amo completed their double in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden as Manhattan Dreamer (7/2) overcame a wide 14 draw to beat runner-up Emerald Eclipse by a half-length.

Murray reported: “Manhattan Dreamer is a nice filly and Mikey said that that (seven furlongs) is her trip and loves the surface.

“She is one that came over from America, didn’t seem to be doing a whole lot there but has been progressing since she came back.

“She has a lovely pedigree, has potential and has a bit of size and scope so should fill out. She will come back here again and then probably run on the turf.”

TRAINER Denis Hogan also completed a double and for good measure also provided the runner-up in both races, beginning with Sky Legend’s win over stablemate Darkened in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Claiming Race.

The winner was ridden to a three-length win by Joey Sheridan and afterwards Hogan reported: “I wish there was more of these (claiming) races and that was lovely tonight with the grading being at 65, which gives us all somewhere to go with them.

“It was a big drop in class for Sky Legend. He’s had a good few tries and deserved to get his head in front. He’s been knocking on the door for the boys (Sky Legend Syndicate). We thought he would do that a lot of nights and he hasn’t.”

Hogan’s double was completed in the View Restaurant Dundalk Apprentice Maiden as Miqdaad (8/1) defeated shorter-priced stablemate Expound (5/4 favourite), to win for jockey Hugh Horgan.

Hogan reported: “Miqdaad only cost me 1,000gns in the October horses in training sale. I just thought he hadn’t run that badly in his one run (at Yarmouth) and while he had had a fracture when with Godolphin, we took a punt on him.

“He’s a cheap horse, but he’ll cover some of the better ones. Mike O’Brien (owner) jumped at him straight away and I’m delighted for too as he is a year without a winner. He’s a good owner and he always supports me for three or four horses.”

Dramatic dream

Racing began with the Floodlit Friday Nights At Dundalk Stadium Handicap, with Phil’s Dream causing a dramatic 50/1 upset when leaving behind poor form behind.

The Mehmas four-year-old dwelt leaving the stalls under Donagh O’Connor, and while later meeting in-running traffic a furlong out, finished well poking his nose in front of runner-up Below Deck at the line.

Winning trainer John McConnell reported: “He has been frustrating. He has always worked well and hasn’t delivered and we have tried everything. Derek (Kierans, owner) has been very patient with him.

“He was dropping down to five (furlongs) and, looking at that, he would definitely stay six. We thought he would run very well at six two runs back but didn’t. Maybe the whole thing will make a man of him, and he might go forward.

“Somebody must have had a little whisper in his ear telling him he was in the last-chance saloon!”

BERGAMASCO (10/3 favourite) registered a second Winter Series success landing the Put The Fun In Fundraising At Dundalk Handicap for jockey Ronan Whelan, owners the JPD Partnership and trainer Jack Davison.

Successful in a similar mile handicap at today’s venue in November, the son of Cappella Sansevero today defied top-weight with Davison reporting: “That’s him, he needs to be ridden cold (in rear) and Ronan is very good at settling horses.

“He’s a big, strong horse and I was happy to put one of the best around on him knowing he would carry the extra weight.

“When they steadied into the bend, I thought we might be in trouble but, thankfully, they picked it up a notch or two and it just opened up nicely for him.

“He’ll keep going up here, he enjoys the surface and has very good form. I think he wants good ground (on turf).”

Team Walsh

Ferrybank (10/3 favourite) gained an overdue but timely third success proving the well-backed winner of Dundalk’s Join Us On Our Social Channels Handicap (Div II), for owner Helen Walsh and husband, trainer Ted Walsh.

Ridden by Bill Lee, the Cable Bay gelding raced prominently and wide and in the final furlong quickened well to beat Rock Basher by a length.

Trainer Walsh said: “He looked well and everything, and it is the first time the owner (his wife Helen) came along!”

He added: “He hadn’t run for a couple of months although young (Ben) Coen said he ran well enough here the last day.

“He likes to be wide and was drawn wide. He was game and might win another one.

“He had dropped down a fair bit (in the ratings) compared to what he was.”

The opening division of that same handicap was won by the Luke Comer-owned, trained and bred Roman Palace (9/2) which provided stallion, and 2012 Melbourne Cup winner, Green Moon with a first Irish winner.

Winning jockey Declan McDonogh stated: “I had a lovely draw and I had the run of the race. She travelled around good and had form on the track.

“I was surprised how well she picked up, she quickened really well and put the race to bed so it was going to take one to do a bit of running to run me down.

“It is nice to get a winner for Luke and Jim (Gorman, assistant trainer). They are doing a good job with them and they look great.”