POWERFUL Nation (11/4) impressed when running out a comfortable winner of the most valuable contest on Dundalk’s eight-race card, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race.

Owned by the Kevin Sean Tommy Walsh Partnership, the 100-rated colt had been touched off in listed company, when last seen in early July and was travelling all over the leaders from early in the straight, before being pushed out to beat Amazing Athena by a length and a half.

Trainer Andy Slattery commented: “He stumbled coming to the line in Tipperary and we felt that’s what got him beat. He had a little high suspensory injury.

“We took him up to Stephanie Moore, who has a spa and he’s only back on the go five or six weeks. I was going to bring him here today for a piece of work, because I want to go for the Legacy Stakes. When I saw this race, I said he might as well run.

“I’ve never had anything as fast as him. Today was a gallop for the Legacy. He’s a good horse and the owner is in no hurry to sell him, which is lucky for me.”

Gutsy

Winning rider Andrew Slattery doubled up when partnering Elsa’s Pride (7/1) to a gutsy victory in the first division of the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap.

The Fozzy Stack-trained filly, a winner at Cork last year, was making her first visit to the all-weather venue. Slattery produced her to lead inside the final furlong and she held the late run of Redemptive Power by three-parts of a length.

“The Roaring Lions have quite a good record on the surface in the UK,” said Slattery of Sir Francis Brooke’s grey. “She tries hard and just keeps galloping.”

Improvement

In rear on debut at the Curragh in June, Karazhal (9/1) showed notable improvement to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden in the hands of Ronan Whelan. The Aga Khan’s son of Profitable picked up well for a half-length success over Flash The Cash.

The winner was sent out by the Conyngham Lodge training partnership of Michael Halford and Tracey Collins and the former remarked: “It all seemed to go over his head at the Curragh.

“We gelded him, as he was quite a heavy-topped horse, and took our time with him. He looks like a horse that could go up a furlong.”

PRISONER’S Dilemma (20/1) recorded his first win for over two years, when landing the 47-70 handicap over seven furlongs.

The Toronado gelding had slipped down the ratings and, in a messy contest, was kept wide and out of trouble by Donagh O’Connor to beat Mags by half a length.

Johnny Levins said of Epitome Racing’s winner: “Fair play to the handicapper, he’s given him a chance. He’s had a light campaign this year and is a very sound horse, so I’d imagine we’ll be here for the winter.”

Following up

Marble Angel (6/5 favourite) followed up last month’s course and distance victory in the 47-65 handicap over a mile.

Billy Lee’s mount raced behind the leaders and took over in front approaching the furlong pole, before being ridden out to beat Hope And Innocence by a length and a quarter.

Andy Oliver, who trains the winner for J P Ledwidge, observed: “We’d more or less given up on her, as we thought she was a sprinter, but used her as a lead horse over a mile one day and the other horse couldn’t get to her.

“Stepping her up in distance seems to have done the trick.”

Winning return

Oliver notched a double when Squire Danagher made a winning return to the all-weather venue in the mile and a quarter apprentice handicap

The Australia gelding had recorded two wins at the track earlier in the year and Wayne Hassett produced the 4/1 shot with a well-timed run to post a length-and-a-half win over Miss Paloma.

Oliver said: “He’s a horse that has strengthened all year, he probably just does enough. Credit where credit is due, Wayne gave him a lovely ride, I was very impressed.”

A 33-RACE maiden coming into the second split of the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap, Anjah finally made the breakthrough at odds of 33/1.

Another winner for in-form apprentice title contender, Adam Caffrey, the seven-year-old came from off the pace to see off market leader Gardone by half a length.

It was also a first win for Donegal trainer Declan McGuigan, who said: “It’s a long time coming and it’s good to get the monkey off our back.

“He runs well around here and we just haven’t had the best luck, there was always one sitting in there to pip us on the line.

“We only have half a dozen horses. This is special, because he’s owned by my son Kyle and it’s a real family operation. We train in Letterkenny.”

Job done

Placed four times from seven previous outings, Aidan O’Brien’s Psalm (10/3) got the job done in the concluding maiden over 10 and a half furlongs.

Jack Cleary has been seen to good effect on several Ballydoyle-trained winners this term and the 7lb claimer had the Sea The Stars colt, owned by the Coolmore partners, in the front rank throughout to gain a half-length verdict over outsider Pearl Jewel.

Cleary said: “Just before the home straight, I let him build away nicely and it paid off for him. He stayed galloping to the line, which I liked.”