MICHAEL O’Meara, whose recent Limerick maiden winner Ethical Diamond achieved top price at Tattersalls July Sale on the same afternoon, sent out a first ever double at Dundalk on Wednesday.

Bobby K, in the hands of championship pace setter Gary Carroll, set the ball rolling in division one of the View Dundalk Restaurant Handicap. Carrying the colours of Mrs Emma Kennedy, the 7/1 chance got up on the line to win by a nose.

Nenagh-based O’Meara said: “Halfway up (the straight) we didn’t know and Gary didn’t even know if he was going to get there! He was asking me would you put headgear on him and I think he’d take it off himself, to be honest!

“He knows more about racing than we do. We are glad now; he is getting old and anything after that is a bonus.”

Strongly

Roman Bull (7/1) completed the O’Meara double when staying on strongly inside the final furlong to win the concluding Family Fun Day Coming To Dundalk Tuesday August 15th Handicap by one and a quarter lengths. Jake Coen partnered the gelding who, like the first winner, was also owned by Mrs Emma Kennedy.

Michael O’Meara said: “My first double. He had a cauterised palate a while back, so we were just hoping he wasn’t holding his breath again. He travelled well everywhere.

“He always ran a good race up here and just got a bit fresh at the Curragh the last day. He obviously needed the run as well. He’ll be up here for the winter.”

Dun Na Sead made all the running under Oisin McSweeney to win the opening Ladies Day At Dundalk Handicap by two and a half lengths for the Kildare Racing Syndicate.

Went wrong

Trainer Kieran Cotter said of the 9/2 winner: “When she won her maiden first time out in the Curragh, we thought we had a stakes horse and then everything went wrong. Even this year, she is only just coming to hand. We thought last week she was never ever better.

“They say sprinters get better with age and she is probably proof of it now. She has so much speed she takes a bit of pegging back. I don’t know where we go after here, we will have to have a close look at the programme and see.

“She obviously handles the all-weather very well. The lads were giving out when she got 8lb the last day, I think they can forget about that!”

Maidens off the mark for O’Brien double

JOSEPH O’Brien was another trainer in form, winning both maidens on the card.

Sandy Creek made up for a recent odd-on defeat at Gowran when easily gaining her first success in the Fairways Hotel Dundalk Maiden by four and a half lengths.

Declan McDonogh said of the White Birch Farm-owned 11/10 favourite: “The pace was on today, there was a bit of competition for the lead and it just took a while to slot in and get a position.

“I got a little breather into her before the turn and I thought she stayed well today and got to the line good. She handled the surface well and deserved that.

“She loved that surface and I’d say fast ground is probably something she has to have. It was good to see her handle that track well.”

McDonagh and O’Brien were back in the winner’s enclosure with Shamwari following the Dundalk Stadium Best Dressed Lady 2023 Maiden. Sent off at 4/5 favourite, the recent listed-placed filly merely had to be kept up to her work to score by three and a quarter-lengths for owners Mrs David Nagle, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.

Slattery keeps winners on his Radar

TRAINER Andrew Slattery continued his fine recent run with 18/1 chance On Our Radar winning the Gift & Art Gallery Dundalk Handicap under Cian Horgan.

The Joe Carroll-owned three-year-old kept on well inside the final furlong to win by two lengths. Slattery said: “We did give him a good each-way chance, I thought he was off a good mark. His runs here during the winter were good and he has got a bit stronger.

“He ran below in Cork in a five-furlong race and the ground was too heavy for him. We said we would claim off him today, he was running essentially off 60.”

Rocky Dreams won for the seventh time at the track when landing the 11:11 Bang On Trend Camlough Claiming Race under Joey Sheridan for owner/trainer James McAuley.

The 9/1 chance overcame a bump two furlongs out to go on and win by half a length.

Brilliant

McAuley said: “He is brilliant around here. I don’t know why but he just doesn’t go on grass. If he isn’t taken, we will have a bit of fun during the winter.

“He has done his job for us and is not always the soundest like most of mine. He is no worse than the rest of them. If someone wants to have a go with him, they will have a go with him.”

James McAuley claimed him back for €12,000 and Jaafel for €15,000, and Yester for €5,000.

Second placed Benavente was claimed by Kevin Coleman for €15,000.

Staying on

The Bog Bank led inside the final furlong of division 2 of the View Dundalk Restaurant Handicap before staying on to win by a length.

The Tom McCourt-trained 13/2 chance was successful in the colours of owners Hugh J O’Brien, Loughlin Flynn and Brendan Tolan. Jockey James Ryan said: “She is as tough as nails, isn’t she? She just loves the game.

“Lisa rides her every day at home and she was running away with her as usual. She won this race last year and was in great order. She ran crackers in her two races at Bellewstown and was just running into one. Delighted to get her head back in front.

“She is nearly too consistent for her own good, she tries her hardest every time and she is always there or thereabouts.”