Ever popular Harry's Bar helps Ado McGuinness to valuable Dundalk double

Ado McGuinness had signalled a return to form when Bowerman won at Dundalk Stadium earlier this month and he confirmed that view with a double last Friday, both winners being ridden by one of Ado's stable's apprentices, Cian MacRedmond.

Firstly, Harry's Bar (8/11 fav) registered his seventh win at Dundalk when making short work of the Book Online at Dundalk Stadium.com Race and then Dream Today (4/1) landed the card's six-furlong handicap.

Both horses are owned by long-standing supporters of Ado, Shamrock Thoroughbreds.

"We're hoping now to run him in (a valuable race) in Saudi Arabia and the All-Weather Championships in England" noted Ado when speaking of one of his star horses Harry's Bar. "He's a brilliant horse, a great horse to have."

Ado had nothing but high praise for Cian too - who spent some time work riding in America at the end of last year - and his other apprentice, Adam Caffrey too. "They ride all the work on the horses and are very important to the operation."

Joseph O'Brien continued his good start to the year when Okita Soushi (8/11 fav) won the card's opener, the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Race.

A son of Galileo, the winner quickened away nicely from the field approaching the furlong pole, eventually winning by four lengths under Mikey Sheehy.

Today's race represented a drop in class for the five-year-old, who, like Harry's Bar, has a valuable race in Saudi Arabia in his plans, so long as he receives the required invitation.

Owned by Mr Toshihiro Matsumoto, the winner has raced just eight times and his best days look to be ahead of him. He provided Joseph with his sixth winner already this year at Dundalk and, once again, he is leading the way in the Dundalk trainers' table.

Satono Chevalier (6/4) became the third winning favourite on the card from the first four races when romping to victory in the 12-furlong handicap for trainer Richard O'Brien, who is based in County Limerick, and jockey Jack Kearney. The winning distance was six lengths.

Winning favourites numbers four and five on the eight-race card then came in the shape of Arcanears (4/1) in the first division of the apprentice handicap and Mulgrave (5/2) in the mile handicap that closed the fixture.

Ridden by Sam Ewing, Arcanears was winning for the fifth time at Dundalk and was wearing blinkers for the first time since August of last year. Trainer Michael Halford said, "He's not as young as he was but the blinkers sharpened him up and he is staying better as he is getting older."

Trainer John McConnell gave a wry smile when he heard the winning distance of 3.75 lengths after Mulgrave had followed up his Dundalk success on February 3rd (when also ridden by Donagh O'Connor) and he is clearly a horse in good heart.

As is the trainer, who has now had four winners at Dundalk this year and four in total this month between flat and jumps.

The second division of the apprentice handicap saw Numidia (13/2) edge out 4/1 joint-favs Indiana Grey and Well Suited by a head and a neck in the hands of Hugh Horgan, who was recording his fifth Dundalk winner of the year.

Winning trainer Peter Lawlor, who operates from County Wicklow and also owns the horse, said, "That was a great ride and one mile seems to be his real trip. He came here fresh and well (it was his first run for over two months) and he may come back here for something in around a fortnight's time."

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In what looked a good line-up for the card's most-valuable contest, the €17,000 Leading Trainer And Jockey Championship Race, Donnacha O'Brien's recent Dundalk winner Teutates was sent off as the 6/4 favourite.

However, he had to settle for fourth place with victory going to Stormy Entry (7/4), who scrambled home by a short head in the hands of Seamie Heffernan from the Joseph O'Brien-trained Cash Out.

"Seamie likes him, and always did" noted the delighted trainer Willie Browne. "He's tough and he stays well. He might come back here for a Listed Race next month."

Owned and bred by Mr Charles E Fipke, he has now won two of his three races and is clearly progressive.