WAYNE Hassett drew level with Adam Caffrey at the head of the apprentice championship, when riding The Cola Brasil to win Division l of the William Hill Top Price Guarantee Handicap at Dundalk on Friday evening.

Trained by Michael Browne, the Greystones and Aircon Syndicate-owned 9/1 chance won by half a length.

Browne said: “Thrilled! He had been running disappointingly there a few times and I think the ground was wrong. He was in great form and I never had him better, but he just disappointed the last couple of runs he had. He’ll come back here again.”

Ronan Whelan was given a four-day careless riding ban aboard ninth-placed Ateenosix, following an incident early in the straight.

Carroll opens a double

Rumbled Again won Division ll of that handicap for Gary Carroll and Gavin Cromwell. Owned by Star Racing Partnership, the 15/2 chance held Feature This by a nose.

Carroll said: “He hasn’t won for a long time and was claimed to try and go to Laytown with. He probably didn’t like the surface (there).

“He loved it there today and he stuck his head out. Hopefully, the handicapper isn’t hard on him and he could win again.”

Gary Carroll later completed a double when teaming up with Andy Oliver to win the Book Online At DundalkStadium.com Maiden with Keepcalmandsailon. Also owned by Oliver, the 6/4 chance beat favourite Mint Man by half a length.

Carroll said: “I actually rode him work before he ever ran and he worked well. I thought he would run well that day in Navan (second) - the slower ground probably caught him out. Back to a sounder surface there today, he was a different horse.

“He jumped, travelled, quickened well and got to the line. He is going to be a nice four-year-old as well.”

JAMES Ryan remained very much in contention for the apprentice championship, when landing the opening Irishinjuredjockeys.com Apprentice Claiming Race on the Cathy O’Leary-trained 100/30 chance Nibiru.

The Yellow Sticker Syndicate-owned gelding got up close home to beat Acotango a short head.

Ryan, just one winner behind the championship leaders, said: “A good run in the Curragh the last day. I was just hopeful they would go quick enough for us.

“In fairness, we didn’t go mad and we just went even the whole way. I was able to bide my time to get there. I knew he would be good and the last 150 yards was his best.”

On the bounce

Church Mountain and Jack Kearney repeated their win of the previous week, when landing the View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Handicap. Trained by Denis Hogan, the Joseph M Kelly-owned 17/2 chance won by a length.

Kearney said: “Denis has seemed to find the new key to him now. I think he will have a fun winter up here, he loves that surface. When I asked him to battle today, he really put his head down and battled away.

“I’d say we went quicker than we did last week - I was just kind of out of my comfort zone, but I rode him to give him a chance and he came home well.”

WALHAAN led close home under Ben Coen to win the Floodlit Fridays At Dundalk Handicap. Owned by the Ask Dot Syndicate, the 5/1 chance prevailed by a head from favourite, Psalm.

Winning trainer Ciaran Murphy said: “We said we were going to have shot at him (Psalm) and we weren’t going to do the donkey work today. Ben said ‘I’ll have one go at him’ and it worked lovely.

“He didn’t say he was going to win, but he thought he had a chance. He said he really battled for him then.”

Sit and suffer

Billy Lee and Henry de Bromhead won the Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Book Now Nursery Handicap with 15/2 chance Nyman. Owned by Michael David Murphy, the juvenile beat Shimmy Jimmy by half a length.

Lee said: “He had a couple of nice runs in maidens and probably working off a reasonable mark today. Henry just said to take my time a little bit from the wide draw.

“I just had to sit and suffer, but I was able to get rolling before the turn in and he kind of has that long, sustained run without flashing. He can keep going once he gets in a rhythm and he hit the line well.”

Paddy Harnett, rider of the runner-up Shimmy Jimmy, received a two-day whip ban.

Consistency is key

Vivienda justified 15/8 favouritism, when winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap for Colin Keane and Ger Lyons. The Juddmonte-owned filly led over a furlong out, going on to win by a length and a quarter.

Assistant trainer, Shane Lyons said: “She has been one of the most consistent fillies racing this summer. I’d say it was her most impressive win of her campaign, she won with a bit in hand there.

“Initially, that was going to be her last race to go back to the farm, but the team will go back and have a chat to see whether she is going to stay in for blacktype next year. We’ll see how she comes out of it.”