JAMIE Powell looks set to be crowned champion apprentice at the Curragh on Sunday, as the victory of Barbapapa in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap kept him four wins clear of his nearest rival Adam Caffrey, by close of play on Dundalk’s Wednesday evening card.

The 9/2 chance raced close to the pace and saw off the challenge of The Bog Bank by a length and quarter. Trained by Henry de Bromhead for Kenny Haughey and Kieran Byrne, this was a third win for the Starspangledbanner gelding.

Powell said: “He ran in Laytown with no headgear on the beach, the cheekpieces really helped him here. He’s a big honest horse, but it just helps him travel through his race.

“Any time you ride more winners than the previous year, it is a great year. I’m grateful to connections for supporting me and giving me the opportunities.”

Adam Caffrey was five wins back after that race but he got one back to move a clear second after a cracking finish to the first division of the Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Stadium Handicap.

Previous course winners and 10/3 joint-favourites Storm Eric and International Lady locked horns from a furlong and a half out and the former just prevailed by a short head for owner/trainer Jamie Flynn who was on lead up duty.

Caffrey said: “He had a good run the last day in Galway and was coming back here today to a surface that he really likes.”

The second split of that seven-furlong handicap was won by 8/1 chance El Bello in the hands of Sean Bowen.

The grey son of El Kabeir, owned by the Premier Racing Club and making his first start for Birr handler Philip Byrne, made gradual headway down the straight to strike the front inside the final furlong for a half-length victory over Pulse Of Shanghai.

Bowen said: “The cheekpieces back on him today probably helped, they had a hood on him the last day to settle him. Dropping back down to seven probably suited him on the all-weather.”

Heffernan doubles up on Brains and Greenfinch

THE 6/4 favourite Brains routed his rivals when making all in the opening one-mile claimer. Seamie Heffernan had things wrapped up a long way out on the Dandy Man gelding, who beat Pinball Wizard by eight lengths.

A 10-time winner on all-weather tracks in Britain, this was his first success for the In Bounds Syndicate and trainer Eric McNamara.

Heffernan said: “I was talking to Conor McNamara who said he had improved a lot since his last run for some reason. He said to keep it simple and let him roll all the way. He just outclassed them.”

Heffernan completed a double, and partnered his fifth winner in three days, when Greenfinch took the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore partners.

Sent off joint-favourite at 5/2, the daughter of Justify led over a furlong out and found enough to beat Cameo Performance by a neck.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “She had the two runs before on soft ground which wasn’t her ideal surface but the experience stood to her.

“Seamus thinks she will definitely develop into a Group filly at somewhere between a mile and a mile and a quarter. The Justifys are extremely exciting. They have big long strides and, once they get their ground and trip, they really come into a different league.”

The 11/10 favourite Take Me To Church won the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction Maiden in the hands of Ronan Whelan.

Runner-up on soft ground at Naas on his previous outing, the Churchill colt got to the front after a furlong and found plenty off the bridle in the straight to beat Anvika by three quarters of a length.

Trainer Jack Davison said of his winner, who is owned by David Byrne & Partners: “I’d say he is more of a turf horse now, being honest, than an all-weather horse but it is nice to see he can handle that sort of surface.

“The last day at Naas he came forward a lot for the application of headgear. We had to make the running today, so the cheekpieces were no harm.”

THE first division of the Gateway Hotel Dundalk Race & Stay Handicap was won by the evens favourite Fairytale Princess, under a no-nonsense ride from Colin Keane. The Ger Lyons-trained daughter of Camelot raced in second before coming through to lead over two furlongs out. From that point, she was never really threatened and accounted for Brave Thought by two lengths.

Assistant trainer Shane Lyons said: “She has just absolutely transformed since we went to the all-weather. She’ll get further and Kevin [Blessing, Woodridge Stables Limited] is a sporting man. He’ll keep her in training next year to see if she improves even more on good or better ground for blacktype.”

Celtic Revival and James Ryan just keep winning at Dundalk and their victory in the second split of that mile-and-a-half handicap was their fifth of the year at the Co Louth venue. The 4/1 chance led inside the final 150 yards to beat Sky Legend by a length and a half, his biggest margin of victory thus far.

Trainer Eddie Lynam trains the four-year-old for his wife, Aileen, and said: “I remember when Aileen put the mare, who is a good mare, in foal to Sea The Stars and then we got this that looked like a policeman’s horse and was slow as well. He has been a great servant and she is knocking a great bit of fun out of him. I think James is very good. It is just a shame he is my height.”