CHRIS Hayes leads the 2021 Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey Championship at Dundalk after completing a 23/1 plus treble highlighted by the impressive victory of Star Girls Aalmal in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained filly, a half-sister by Elzaam to the smart Create Belief, won a barrier trial here in September before being thrown in the deep end also at this venue when unluckily beaten just over two lengths in the Listed Star Appeal Stakes.

The 6/4 favourite made most in this seven-furlong event and, after being shaken up to assert over a furlong out, stayed on strongly to beat Brostaigh by nearly five lengths.

Owned by John Phelan, Jarrod Lippiatt and Syed Momin, she was bought for just €8,000 at Goffs last November and an entry in next year’s Irish 1000 Guineas is far from fanciful on this evidence.

Hayes was impressed saying: “I don’t know where her ceiling is but she’s very good. She was flicking her ears and I gave her a squeeze at the top of the straight. She impressed me and is going to bring them to big places.

“I tried to be too clever in the stakes race as I thought she’d be a little more green than she was. She got hemmed in down the fence and never got a bit of light so I said to Henry that I wouldn’t mind keeping it simple and he said you have free rein. She’s improved physically and is obviously well related.”

Defied top-weight

Hayes followed up half an hour later when Marsa defied top-weight in the BetVictor Loyalty Club Nursery, the 9/4 favourite keeping on well under pressure inside the final furlong to beat Princess Rajj by three-quarters of a length.

Winning trainer Eddie Lynam said: “I’m delighted to have a winner for the Rogers who own her in partnership with the Powers, who have been great supporters of mine.

“Joe Rogers and his family foal all our mares and look after horses. It’s the first horse I’ve had for him so I’m delighted. I thought she could win one at two and she might come back here once more before Christmas.”

The Hayes treble was completed by Bradesco in division two of the mile-and-a-half DundalkStadium.com Handicap. No Trouble looked set to score when a couple of lengths clear inside the final furlong but was pegged back on the line by the 2/1 favourite.

Jim Gorman, assistant to owner/trainer Luke Comer, said “He’ll come back here for a two-mile handicap (on November 26). He’s improving all the time. I didn’t think he’d go on this surface as he’s a huge big horse but he does. The horses are in good form and we could have had a treble tonight.”

Hayes is now three clear (28-25) of Colin Keane in the Crowne Plaza-sponsored Jockeys Championship.

ROBERT Whearty has impressed many since riding his first winner this summer and the Meath apprentice recorded his first double aboard Picpoul and Indiana Grey.

Picpoul could oppose Bradesco in the aforementioned two-mile race after landing division one of the mile-and-a-half handicap.

A shock 50/1 winner here a week earlier, she went off the 11/4 favourite on this occasion and led over a furlong out to beat the Comer-trained Wee Jim by half a length.

“She’s a decent filly and I took my time with her as a two-year-old, got her experienced and it’s paid off. She never missed a feed from last week and I’ve actually given her an extra kilo a day,” said locally based Michael Rice, who trains the filly for his wife Siobhan.

Good effect

Whearty was also seen to good effect aboard Indiana Grey in division two of the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Apprentice Handicap. The Pat Martin-trained 13/2 shot was patiently ridden and given a strong drive inside the final furlong to deny Colonel Slade by half a length.

“The kid was very strong. She’s taken a while to come back to herself this year but the last run was encouraging. She wouldn’t have got the mile well last year but she’s a bit older and stronger.

“I’m delighted for Ray Moore who is with me a long time and is an incredibly lucky owner,” said Martin.

TAKE My Hand recorded her fourth career win with a shock 33/1 success in division one of the mile apprentice handicap.

The daughter of Tough As Nails made all under Wesley Joyce and kept on really well inside the final furlong to beat Royal Scholar by three-quarters of a length.

“I have to thank Ben Coen for that one. After the last day I was going to give her a break as I thought she might not handle the surface, but he said that she got boxed in and to definitely run her back,” said Mick Mulvany, who trains the four-year-old for his father Larry.

There was a thrilling finish to the Crowne Plaza Hotel Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Maiden with three horses flashing past the post together.

Judge Andrew McKeever deliberated for a while before announcing that 4/6 favourite Stellar Spirit had just prevailed by a nose from Cheval Blanc with Eskimo Lil, a 125/1 chance here on her debut, just a nose further away in third.

“He was entitled to win that off ratings and has been running very consistent. It’s great to get a win out of him after claiming him,” said Jarlath Fahey, who trains the winner for the Stellar Spirit Partnership.

“Gavin (Ryan) thinks he was okay at six if they went a bit quicker. He’s happy enough anywhere between six and a mile. There is a 0-75 seven-furlong handicap coming up in a few weeks’ time and if he’s holding his form we might have a go at it.”

Good run

James McAuley continued his good run in claimers when saddling Timourid to land the Follow Us On Twitter @DundalkStadium Claiming Race.

The son of Gleneagles, claimed out of Denis Hogan’s yard by the Naul trainer just three weeks ago, quickened up nicely at the furlong pole under Luke McAteer to beat Rocky Dreams by one and three-quarter lengths.

McAuley said: “We probably ran him back a bit too quick after claiming him. I’d say he’s better with a couple of weeks gap between his races. He beat a horse of ours, Malaysian, the day we claimed him for €12,000. That grade probably suits him and seven was probably a bit short for him last time.

“We’ve got a win out of him and he’s in to be claimed for €15,000. If someone claims him off us we can’t moan as we’re regularly doing it. He’s a grand fun horse and will be kept busy up here.”

There were no claims for any of the 12 runners.