PAT Martin bowed out of the training ranks, after more than 40 years, when he ran his last couple of runners at Dundalk on Wednesday.

Still She Blooms finished third in the Floodlit Friday Nights At Dundalk Stadium Handicap and Martin said to Racing TV: “I’ve had this in my head for the past two months and, as it happened, I went over to Gavin Cromwell’s to gallop a horse recently and just realised how good the big guys are.

“Gavin’s system was excellent – I was very impressed.

“We don’t have the quality or the facilities which they have, so the penny dropped with me then.

“Indiana Gal was my best flat horse (winner of the Listed Salsabil Stakes and Carlingford Stakes at Dundalk in 2009) and she went on to be the dam of a champion out in Japan.”

Amemri (8/1) was the horse that took the honours in the aforementioned Floodlit Friday Nights At Dundalk Stadium Handicap.

Luke McAteer brought David Marnane’s charge with a sustained run a furlong and a half down and she took over in the final 100 yards.

After she delivered by a length and a quarter for owner Ms Melanie Marnane, McAteer said: “She’s getting progressively more consistent. She’s a lovely filly to ride in a race.

“I just had to take my time and it worked out lovely. She won well.”

Robert Whearty picked up a four-day ban for riding carelessly aboard Still She Blooms.

Hold up

Hightimeyouwon (13/8 favourite) led home a one-two for Stephen Thorne in the Dundalk Winter Series Leading Trainer & Jockey Championship Handicap.

He was held up towards the rear by Jack Kearney and made his move a quarter of a mile from home.

Kearney drove him to the front approaching the final furlong and the duo kept on well to see it out by a length and a half for Shamrock Thoroughbreds.

Stablemate, Volatile Analyst, improved to second inside the final furlong, but could make no impression on the winner.

Thorne said: “The weekend I got engaged this horse won, the weekend I got married this horse won, and we are due a baby this week, so this horse means a fair bit to me.”

Red Evolution had the form in the book to win the View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Maiden and put it all together to score by two and three-quarter lengths for John Kirkland.

The 5/4 favourite soon tracked Tino Pai over this five-furlong trip and challenged her at the furlong pole. He took over in the closing stages and stretched away to finish clear of Aleppo Pepper.

Michael O’Callaghan said: “In the latter half of the year, we gelded him and that has really made a difference. It was lovely in the last 150 yards just to see him knuckle down and pull away from them.”

DICK Donohoe was fulsome in his praise of 7lb claimer Nicola Burns, after she steered Autocrat (4/1) to victory in the Put The Fun In Fundraising At Dundalk Handicap.

Eighty Eight blazed a trail off the front and soon raced clear of the field, with Autocrat well behind in third at the halfway stage. The leader’s petrol gauge dwindled at the business end and Autocrat came through to head him a furlong down.

The 4/1 shot quickened four and a half lengths clear for owner P Sweeney. Donohoe said: “She (Burns) is outstanding, she is very good and picks the right spot every time.

“She wasn’t going to be lured into going too fast behind him (Eighty Eight), he always goes off fast and he is going to be good enough or he is not on the day. As soon as she got him within her sights, she always looked the winner.”

Ghaiyyath colt The Padre sprang a 33/1 surprise on debut in the Book Online At DundalkStadium.com Maiden over the extended 10-furlongs.

Shocker

Wayne Lordan soon settled him behind the leaders and they closed entering the straight. They disputed the lead with Adrienne and Chris Hayes a furlong down and found plenty in the final 150 yards to strike by two and three-quarter lengths.

Owner/trainer Josh Halley said: “He would get a mile and a half for sure.

“He’s actually quicker as well, I was half thinking of running him over a mile. The more he kind of went on, we said a mile two.

“He would probably want it good to firm on turf, so we would probably be holding out a bit until the summer. He is on the market, that’s our business.”

JOSEPH O’Brien’s San Salvador, a nine-year-old more associated with his exploits over fences, bagged his first flat success in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Maiden.

The 8/15 favourite raced close to the pace and travelled well inside the final quarter of a mile. Declan McDonogh sent him on approaching the final furlong and he strode away by four and a half lengths for the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate.

The jockey said: “I had never sat on him before and Joseph actually said to me ‘he’s not slow’. He actually did travel around with a bit of gusto. I think there’s options in the summer for him on the flat.”

Owner/trainer John McConnell’s Hasiyna (16/1) was half a length too strong for Mint Man in the Join Us On Instagram @Dundalk_Stadium Handicap over six furlongs. Chris Hayes steered her into a narrow lead over Mint Man a furlong out and they kept on best.

Hayes said: “She’s Aga Khan-bred and I obviously knew her from Rosewell.

“I rode her in her early days. When she was in the sales, John asked me would I recommend her and I said yes – jeez, I was avoiding his phone calls with her first few runs!

“It obviously took her time to acclimatise to a different style of training, but she is thriving. She looks well and hopefully she can win again.”