WEDNESDAY’s fixture marked the end of an era at Dundalk as Polytrack specialist Sharjah made the final appearance of his career just under nine years after he first set foot on Dundalk.

A veteran of 154 races of which 100 came at Dundalk, Andy Slattery’s charge won nine times at this track and he brought the curtain down on his career with an honourable fourth to Annecherie in the 45-65 rated two-mile handicap.

For her part, the Sheila Lavery-trained winner, who is eight years Sharjah’s junior, showed promise to be placed behind Bradesco over this course and distance earlier this month. Billy Lee’s mount, who is owned by the Llewelyn Runeckles Partnership, took charge of this race inside the distance to defeat fellow three-year-old Kalu Pande by a length.

Futurum Regem went off at odds-on to follow up his win over hurdles at Navan on Sunday but he couldn’t get involved from off the pace although he was only beaten just over two lengths into sixth at the finish.

“She’s owned by really nice guys. John Runeckles lives in England and David Llewelyn is in Singapore. They have been very patient and I’m absolutely delighted for them,” reported the trainer.

Sheila Lavery went on to complete a double as Summit Surge (7/1), in the colours of her brother John, landed the 45-70 rated handicap over an extended 10 furlongs for horses who had never won.

The daughter of Sea The Stars, with Gary Carroll on board, burst clear of the field heading into the last quarter of a mile and went on to score by a length and three-parts from Old Tom Higgins.

“I feel so sorry for Robbie (Colgan, the trainer’s regular rider) who has missed out on a double. From his jumps days he was due to get the pins and plates taken out of his knees and at five o’clock yesterday he was told his surgery was cancelled again,” reported the trainer.

The 84-rated Seattle Creek was an odds on favourite to continue Luke Comer’s great run of form in the BetVictor-sponsored mile-and-a-half maiden.

However, the 8/15 chance had to settle for second behind Dances With Stars (15/8) whom Joseph O’Brien produced in great shape off an 11-month break to win nicely.

Hugh Horgan was board the Charles Fipke-owned and bred four-year-old who scored by a length and a half.

THE improving Marsa made it two victories within a week in the six-furlong nursery where Eddie Lynam’s charge left the impression that there could yet be more to come from her when she returns from a break.

The Marita Rogers and Sabena Power-owned daughter of Slade Power was 5lb higher than when scoring over seven furlongs the previous week and was dropping back to six furlongs, but the 2/1 favourite coped well with both challenges.

She collared the top-weight Obtain in the closing stages for a half-length triumph under Ben Coen.

“I don’t like running horses back quick, but the way the programme is we had to take our chance. I’d say as she gets older she’ll be more of a seven-furlong filly. She’ll have a holiday now,” said Lynam.

Doitforandrew made a winning return from three months off the track in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction Maiden.

Good form

Andy Slattery’s charge boasted some good form – notably a second to subsequent Royal Ascot heroine Quick Suzy at the Curragh in May – and a break coupled with a step up in trip worked the oracle for the son of Ribchester.

Wayne Lordan got the 15/2 shot into a challenging position well over a furlong from home and Doitforandrew finished out his race in determined fashion to score by a length and a quarter.

“He’s settling better and weren’t sure he’d get this trip but Wayne felt he’d probably get a mile. The owner John Rosser bought the horse about six months after his brother Andrew passed away and that’s who he is named after,” reported Slattery.

Adrian McGuinness bagged his first winner of the winter season when Eglish (5/1) came good in the 45-70 rated six-furlong handicap where the four-year-old was notching up her sixth success at this track.

This Shamrock Thoroughbreds-owned filly was making a quick reappearance following her fourth to Mullacash Buzz here on Friday evening and Cian MacRedmond produced her to lead at the furlong pole en route to a length-and-a-half success over Collective Power.

Joupe joy for Lawlor

IT was an afternoon to savour for Hollywood-based owner-trainer Peter Lawlor who sent out his first winner when Joupe (15/2) came good in the second divide of the 45-65 rated seven-furlong handicap.

On her five previous starts for Lawlor, this Lope De Vega four-year-old had suggested that she could make her mark at this level and she arrived with a sweeping charge inside the last furlong to defeat Amazing One by two and a half lengths.

“She’s been running consistently and I was hopeful she would run well. I’m over the moon,” declared Lawlor who has been training for the last year.

Ampeson (100/30) signalled that a first success may not be far away when he was second to Accessory here last month and he built on that to land the first division of that 45-65 rated handicap.

The Pat Murphy inmate held every chance with over a furlong to run and he answered Ronan Whelan’s every call to get home by a neck from Hell Left Loose despite drifting right in the closing stages. Murphy trains the winner for the Newbridge Or Nowhere Syndicate.