APPRENTICE jockey Hugh Horgan completed a Dundalk double on Tuesday, completing the feat in the opening maiden and in a division of a sprint handicap.

Horgan began by winning the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Apprentice Maiden on the Joseph O’Brien-trained well-supported Gran Caballo (morning 5/2, returned 11/8 favourite), which gave supporters plenty concern before justifying market support.

Carrying the colours of Rectory Road Holdings Ltd, the front-running American Pharoah four-year-old was headed by stablemate Moab - appearing beaten, early in the home straight.

Eventual runner-up Impero also arrived to challenge and while Moab faded at the furlong pole, Gran Caballo rallied to regain the lead in the final 100 yards, scoring by a half-length.

Horgan said “I had got a nice breather into him before we turned in, he had travelled along lovely into the straight but then a couple quickened by me.

“I knew when I got stuck into him that I was always going to get there and he is tough, hardy and stays well. He would get a mile and six and maybe even two miles in time.”

Double

Horgan completed his double in the Gateway Hotel Dundalk Race & Stay Handicap (Div I) on the Johnny Feane-trained Havana Notion (11/2, for the Prosperous One Syndicate).

Previously successful only once, at Tipperary last July from 20 runs, the Havana Grey gelding was today produced from mid-field to lead over a furlong out and beat Irish Rumour by three-quarters of a length.

Feane said: “He has been running well and Hugh gave him a lovely ride. I don’t think they went a great pace and he settled. He stuck his head out tonight and kept at it, so it is grand.”

The second division of the six-furlongs handicap was won by the Leanne Breen-trained James Henry (9/4), which followed up a breakthrough win in December with a second success today.

Ridden by Scott McCullagh for the Varland Syndicate, the five-year-old Kodiac gelding arrived from mid-division to lead inside the final furlong and beat long-time leader No Speed Limit by a head.

Co Down-based Breen reported: “He was a wee bit funny in the stalls - it wasn’t the tactics we wanted to go with, but Scott did brilliant to get him from where he was. He’s a big horse and doesn’t do a whole pile when he gets there.

“He’ll be out of the grade (47-65) now, so hopefully he keeps improving although I actually prefer him at seven (furlongs). He’s exciting for the grass and there will be plenty of fun for the owners.”

Bounce back

The other race over that six-furlongs distance was the concluding Join Us On Instagram @dundalk_stadium Race which saw Perfect Judgement (18/5) bounce back from being the Birdcatcher Nursery beaten favourite last October, to gaining a first success

Tracking the leaders under Cian MacRedmond, the son of Inns Of Court went in pursuit of leader Mint Man with two furlongs to race, and inside the final furlong got the better of that battle, scoring by a neck.

Ado McGuinness trains the winner for the Zevenbergen/Shamrock Thoroughbreds/O’Callaghan syndicate and said: “He ran in a really good maiden at Naas during the summer and we thought he was a ‘sure thing’ the next time but got drawn up the wrong side up the Curragh.

“He ran well at Cork in a winners’ race, we then put him into winners’ company and there were also good horses with him. He disappointed in the Birdcatcher but the ground was horrible. Every other race he has run in, he has been very consistent.

“He is entered in the sales next month in Tattersalls or will be sold before then - he would be an ideal horse for the Middle East.”

PROGRESSIVE Old Peculier (10/11 favourite, for the Haven’taclue Syndicate) completed a hat-trick of recent wins, defying a recent 7lb mandatory penalty in winning the Book Online At DundalkStadium.com Apprentice Handicap.

It was a fourth career success for 16-year-old winning jockey Keithen Kennedy, from Monasterevin and apprenticed to Jessica Harrington.

Winning trainer Mark Fahey reported: “He did it well again, likes this place and Keithen gave him a great ride. He has got all the luck up here and has got a clear run and everything like that.

“He’s living way above our expectations. I think the biggest thing to him is the blinkers - they have worked and how long more that’s going to continue, I don’t know. They are bringing out huge improvement and they won’t be coming off him.

“It is hard to know what to do with him - he is a bit of a monkey and if we give him a break he might not come back to where he was before. We were planning to go jumping hurdles so might put that on hold for another little bit. We’ll sit down and have a look, and we’ll see what comes up.

“He probably deserves a crack at a decent handicap, so we might just go down that route.”

Form figures

Aisling Oscar landed a gamble when overcoming ‘0000’ career form-figures to win the View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Handicap today, for owner/trainer Craig O’Neill and jockey Danny Sheehy.

Backed on handicap debut – rated 47, from 14/1 this morning and returned 6/1, Aisling Oscar raced fourth, challenged in the home straight, edging past Mary Bagot inside the final furlong for a half-length win.Kildare-based O’Neill was leading up the winner and jockey Sheehy said “I think it is really just a case of the penny starting to drop. I suppose a small field and a light weight is probably a big help as well.

“Craig said he would have a chance and that he is after coming on from his previous runs, so he was spot on in fairness to him.”

Wesley off the new year mark

THE HRI Flat Achievement Award winner Wesley Joyce registered his first winner of 2024, steering Moondharrig (5/1, for owner Christina Hughes) to a hard-fought success in the One Of The Only Dual Racetracks In Europe Handicap (Div II).

Out of Group 2 Debutante Stakes winner Campfire Glow, the four-year-old made almost all of the running to beat Don’t Look Now by a head.

Winning trainer Eoin Doyle wasn’t present and Joyce reported: “He jumped and was in my hands a little bit, so I was happy to let him travel away. He was game in the first-time blinkers and meant business today, although I thought I was chinned!

“He kept going, but I thought we were done on the line.

Dark Street (15/2) registered a third career win – all over Dundalk’s mile and two furlongs distance, when landing the One Of The Only Dual Racetracks In Europe Handicap (Div I) for owner/trainer Luke Comer and jockey Nathan Crosse.

Comer’s assistant trainer Jim Gorman said: “The key to him is a good pace over that trip. There was a good pace the whole way and, if he gets that, he’ll always run well over this trip. Sometimes a mile and four furlongs just gets him.