MEATH-born jockey, James Ryan rode the first double of his career, when winning both divisions of the mile and a half Dual Racing Friday Nights Handicap at Dundalk last Friday.

The first division was won by the Eddie Lynam-trained Celtic Revival, a horse Ryan had already won on three times previously.

After the 10/3 chance, owned by Aileen Lynam, stayed on best to beat Golden Sandbanks half a length, Ryan said: “He loves it up here. The race worked out well to a certain point – I got a lovely position and, just when we went up the straight, the race fell in a hole and I got there a bit soon.

“Eddie has been very good to me now and I have been lucky with him. It is great for him to keep the continued support for me, and I’m very grateful for it.

“He is a big horse and well able to carry it [weight]. We were confident today. The last day things didn’t go quite as well, but his run up here the last day in Dundalk, he was second, so the 5lb off him got him over the line today.”

Double up

Just over half an hour later, Ryan completed his brace when getting the Michael O’Callaghan-trained 10/1 shot Sioux Princess up close home, to win by a half-length from favourite Fairytale Princess.

Trainer Michael O’Callaghan, also completing a double on the night, said of the Paul Callan-owned winner: “She’s a filly with a load of ability and I think the track up here suits her, a mile and a half around here is probably just her trip.

“James gave her a lovely ride and the application of blinkers has just got her to put her head in front. He is [riding with confidence], he gave the horse in the race before a lovely ride. I think he is a young lad going places.”

O’Callaghan earlier sent out a one-two in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap, as the Colin Keane-partnered Darkdeserthighway beat her stablemate Rockbury Lad.

With both horses sent off 10/3 joint market leaders, it was the Mrs Michael O’Callaghan-owned mare who prevailed by three lengths.

The winning trainer said: “She was [an eyecatcher in Punchestown], she had a bit of a summer break and she likes it up here. She came on from that run and off that mark she is entitled to win. She might win another one again before the winter is out.”

Jalo makes it two for Colin Keane

COLIN Keane was another man in double-winning form, having landed the opening Friday Night Lights At Dundalk Claiming Maiden on the Noel Meade-trained Jalo.

Held up in rear entering the straight, the 9/2 winner came with a strong late run to get up close home to score by a head for the DCJGPN Syndicate.

Keane reported: “He’s a horse that is definitely more a seven furlong or a mile horse. He handles that all-weather well, he had nice runs as a two-year-old back here. If he’s not claimed or even if he is – would be a fun horse here for the winter going seven or a mile, or maybe even a bit further. [David Hoey claimed Jalo to be trained by George Kingston].

12th win

Tai Sing Yeh added a 12th career win when battling back strongly under in-form Conor Stone-Walsh to take the Gateway Hotel Race & Stay Apprentice Handicap by half a length.

Owner/trainer James McAuley later said of his 6/1 winner: “He is a legend up here. He was plenty high in the handicap and just pulls it out. Once they didn’t fly by him up the straight, and once he gets into a battle, he really is hardy.

“In Ireland there are a lot of good riders and we had Adam [Caffrey] on the other one (Rocky Dreams) and it was a flip of a coin who ended up on what one.

“He was the leading horse here last year. Derek [O’Connor] just half missed getting the hood off him in Laytown, so he came out after them.”

LAST year’s Irish Derby runner-up Piz Badile returned to winning ways in the featured Listed Al Basti Equiworld, Diamond Stakes over a mile, two and a half furlongs.

Ridden by Gavin Ryan, the 2/1 favourite, showed real tenacity to hold off British raider Sea The Casper by a neck.

Trainer Donnacha O’Brien said of his Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd winner: “To be fair to him, he battles hard. He pricked his ears there from the two-furlong marker and got a little idle in front. He has run into some tip-top Group 1 horses along the way. It is nice to get another win into him and we can build from here.”

When asked if he would go on to next year with him, he replied: “Yes, I think that’s the plan with him. We’ll have to speak to Alan [Cooper, racing manager] and Maria [Niarchos-Gouaze] and see where we go. There are plenty of big-money targets to look at, so we have options.

“It is a nice time of year and it is a nice distance for some of those horses that will go on to mile and a-half races later in the year.”

Andrew Slattery sent out 25/1 chance Milliat to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden by half a length from 5/4 favourite Grand Job.

High class

Assistant trainer Brian Slattery said of the Milliat Partnership-owned winner: “I was surprised that she was 25/1, she won her barrier trial on the bridle. We think she is high class and I’m not sure what will happen next - with the people that own her, she will probably be for sale but, if not, she will probably go for a Guineas Trial.

“It is all about next year with her. We like her and she is a very good filly. She wants a mile all day. Andy [Slattery] would love to keep her, we think she is very smart.”

Ronan Whelan teamed up with Michael Halford and Tracey Collins to win the View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Handicap with Slieve Binnian.

Owned by Paul Rooney, the 4/1 shot was produced with a well-timed challenge to lead close home for a half-length success.

Great ride

Halford said: “He said that from a bad draw he did well to get a lovely position, and he gave him a great ride. He said he was coming into it well and he said he then got caught a little bit flat-footed because they had gone steady, and then got into a real sprint. It just took him a while to hit top gear.

“I think there will be plenty of fun to be had with him over the winter. He loves that surface and he is a very genuine horse. He’s only three. He’s an ideal horse for Paul [Rooney, owner], he is very patient with them.”