OCEAN Vision, who was a first two-year-old runner of the season for trainer Kieran Cotter, made a winning start to his career in the five-furlong Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden which kicked off a double for apprentice Jake Coen.

In the colours of John Kirkland, who also owns the opening juvenile winner of the season in Ocean Quest, this colt had to give weight all round, so his rider’s 7lb claim was invaluable.

A first winner from the first crop of the crack two-year-old and top sprinter U S Navy Flag, Ocean Vision possibly didn’t travel through the race as smoothly as some of his rivals and he was being niggled along sooner than a number of his opponents.

However, the winner responded in fine style to Coen’s urgings and led well over a furlong out before defeating Lady Tilbury by three-quarters of a length, with the evens favourite Tiger Paw the same distance away in third.

“We knew he was smart coming up here but you never know what can happen first time out in a two-year-old maiden,” reflected Cotter. “The race didn’t go to plan early on and Jake said he’s not a five-furlong horse, and I’d say he’ll have no trouble going up in class and trip.”

Jake Coen brought up his brace aboard Howyoulikethat in the 47-65 rated mile handicap for apprentice riders.

A winner at Dundalk 14 months ago, this gelding was continuing a tremendous run for trainer Hilary McLoughlin who sent out two winners here the previous Friday.

A confident Coen produced his mount from off the pace to lead inside the distance and the pair went on to defeat The Bog Bank by two lengths.

Howyoulikethat was returned a 5/2 chance to build on an encouraging third to The Mpex Kid here at the start of the month and he runs in the colours of the Cashel-based Top Five Syndicate.

Suwappu success

It was later the turn of Coen’s brother, Ben, to get among the winners as he captured the seven-furlong maiden aboard the Darren Bunyan-owned and trained Suwappu. Evidently a decent showing was expected from this unraced daughter of Aclaim as she was returned at 16/1 having been just over double those odds when betting on the race opened.

Suwappu put herself in a challenging position well over a furlong from home and knuckled down well under pressure in the closing stages to fend off Amanirenas by half a length. She will surely be able to build on this in the coming weeks and months.

COLIN Keane made his first ride of the year for Aidan O’Brien count as he bagged the fillies’ maiden over an extended 10 furlongs aboard the newcomer Lily Pond.

The daughter of Galileo and the Oaks third Alluringly was one of three representatives in the race for O’Brien and was allowed to go off at 7/1.

Keane’s mount didn’t appear to be going quite as well as her front-running stablemate Cherub turning for home but soon drew alongside and led over a furlong out.

Lily Pond quickly moved clear of Cherub and kept on well to score by just under three lengths from fellow newcomer Selador. An Oaks trial is likely to be the next step for the winner.

Queenie dominates

The last race at Dundalk before July 12th went to Paul Flynn and his daughter Ciara as Little Queenie dominated the three-year-old six-furlong handicap from start to finish.

This Michael Connolly-owned filly failed by just a head when going off at 50/1 at Naas just over a fortnight previously, but there was to be no heartbreak this time as she maintained a useful lead throughout and defeated Pandemic Princess by two lengths.

JOHN Hanlon could have unearthed a lovely dual-purpose horse for the summer months in Fascinating Shadow who shrugged aside the burden of top weight in the mile-and-a-half handicap to make a winning debut for the trainer.

A 23,000gns purchase from Richard Hannon’s yard after winning at Bath last September, this four-year-old impressed under a typically confident Billy Lee ride to make a mockery of his 33/1 starting price.

On his first start for 212 days, the Great White Shark Syndicate-owned gelding made smooth progress from midfield from the turn-in and picked off Santono Chevalier heading towards the last furlongs before defeating the favourite Jake Peter by a length and a half.

“The boys that own him had Dime A Dozen with me and when I bought this horse, I put it up to them and they said go for it. It’s a great start,” stated Hanlon who was paying his first visit to the track in four years. “My plan is to go hurdling with him but I wanted to keep him a novice for the new season. Billy said he would stay two miles and there’s a two-miler on Irish Derby day that I won years ago with Truckers Delight and maybe he might end up there.”

Joey Sheridan picked up a six-day whip ban for his efforts on the fifth-placed Made For Minds.

Surprise

Another bigger-priced winner came in the six-furlong handicap where the 20/1 shot Plezantlysurprised struck under Danny Sheehy. The four-year-old, who is trained by Jessica Magnier for her husband Colin, had shown some useful form over the course of his previous six starts and took a step forward in first-time cheekpieces.

He blazed a trail for Danny Sheehy with the result that the only horse able to mount a meaningful challenge was Adams Barbour. The latter was an ever-present threat throughout the last two furlongs but couldn’t find a way past and eventually lost out by three-quarters of a length.