THE market spoke loudly in favour of Apache Outlaw in the feature event at Dundalk on Wednesday and he duly collected to initiate a double for Ado McGuinness at the all-weather venue.

Having been backed from as big as 9/2, the Churchill gelding went to post an 11/10 shot in the six-furlong handicap on the card. Colin Keane took the ride and produced his mount to lead over a furlong from home.

He kept on well in the closing stages to post a three-parts of a length win over stablemate Dontspoilasale.

“He has improved this horse. I suppose he is not bred to sprint, but I think he is an out-and-out sprinter off a good fast pace,” said McGuinness.

“It was a good race and I don’t know where the money came from, maybe it was the Colin Keane factor. It is great for the lads. I’m delighted for them, as they are great owners. We might just put him to bed for a while and come back for the All-Weather Finals in Newcastle.”

Star performance

Tribal Star also carried the colours of Dooley Thoroughbreds when opening his account in the mile and a half maiden.

Adam Caffrey did the steering on the 5/2 shot and was to the fore throughout. He got the better of Inthesmallhours inside the final furlong to record a half-length win.

“I think he could be a lovely staying horse for next year - he’s just a big, raw baby and he is only going to get stronger,” said McGuinness.

“We just didn’t make enough use of him here the last night. The plan today was to make sure it was a test.”

Clarita and Gary Carroll (right) leading home the pack to open a double \ Healy Racing

GAVIN Cromwell and Gary Carroll also combined to record a double on the card, courtesy of Clarita and Pepper Noir.

8/1 shot Clarita ran out a cosy winner of the seven-furlong handicap, coming to lead inside the final furlong to post a length and three-quarters success over Mehman.

Carroll said: “She was dropping in grade and the race went to suit her. Everything went right for her today, which was great. It was supposed to be her last run, so they might reconsider. She’s in great nick and you’d love to get another one out of her.”

In the concluding mile-and-a-half handicap, the step up in trip worked a treat for Pepper Noir.

Carroll led just under two furlongs out on the Outstrip filly and she always looked to be holding Tudor Manor in the closing stages to record a half-length win.

Step up

The Maria McCullen Harvey-owned winner had been backed from 12/1 into 5/1 and Carroll said afterwards: “We thought after the last time over a mile, when she was third, she was crying out for a mile and a quarter.

“This was a mile and a half and it was just the next race that suited her. She enjoyed going the trip, she travelled better and actually picked up well.”

Sam Coen rode out his 10lb claim, when partnering Rock Etoile to success in the first division of the mile handicap.

The Andy Slattery-trained gelding was produced with a well-timed surge to lead over a furlong from home and score by a length-and-a-quarter at odds of 9/2.

Slattery said of the John Moloney-owned winner: “We kind of aimed him at this race. He had a good run the last day in a ‘70’ and he stayed on nicely, so I thought back at a ‘65’ he had a right chance.”

Cousin Shay scoring on his first start for Natalia Lupini under Wayne Lordan \ Healy Racing

IN the second division of the race, Cousin Shay made a winning start for Natalia Lupini. He went to post a well-backed 7/2 shot on his first outing for the Craigavon-based handler.

Wayne Lordan produced his mount to challenge passing the furlong pole and he got the better of Man Is King late on to secure a head victory.

Lupini said: “Since we got him, he has been in good form for us. He has been loving life. We thought if he transferred his homework to the track at all, he would be coming here with a little chance.”

Say It So continued the fine run for Eric McNamara when swooping from last to first in the two-mile handicap. Conor McNamara took the mount on the 9/4 favourite and produced him on the stand’s rail to challenge passing the furlong pole.

Hat-trick

The Raven’s Pass gelding got on top in the closing stages to record a three-parts-of-a-length win over Noble Expression. It was a hat-trick for Say It So, who had won over hurdles in Killarney and on the flat at Navan.

The winning rider said: “He’s a grand horse, a horse in a real good vein of form. He did it comfortably and I’d imagine that would be him for the year, and we will look forward to next year with him. He starts slowly, whether it is flat or National Hunt, and he likes to come wide and likes his own room.”

Fortuna Vera looks like another horse with a future, after rattling home to land the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction Maiden. The Joseph O’Brien-trained filly grabbed Wait For It close home in the seven-furlong contest to record a neck success at odds of 3/1.

Winning rider Wayne Hassett, in the colours of the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate, said afterwards: “I was delighted to see my name beside her after the first day (finished a promising sixth). She could step up in trip, which I’d say will happen. She is an exciting filly for next year.”