Colin Keane records valuable double for punters at Dundalk Stadium

Billy Lee moved onto nine winners for the year at Dundalk when Relevant Range (10/3), trained by his sister Gillian Scott, won the card’s mile maiden by half-a-length from the 8/15 favourite, Rick Dalton.

Rick Dalton was ridden by Ireland’s current champion jockey, Colin Keane, who made up for that near miss by riding a double.

Firstly, Mephisto (5/1), who is trained by his father, Gerry, in County Meath and is owned by the Restricted Movement Syndicate, won the Easter Week Racing 11th and 14th April at Dundalk Handicap.

In third was the evens-favourite Vee Dancer, who had beaten Mephisto by three-parts of a length when they met over tonight’s trip of two miles on February 15th. Mephisto was four pounds better off at the weights tonight and beat his rival by one-and-a-half lengths, providing a good example of handicapping maths working out a treat.

Colin completed his double when the well-backed Emeric, who is trained in County Longford by Paul Flynn, ran out a comfortable winner of the card’s finale, the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap.

The winner was backed from 5/2 into 6/4 favourite and his supporters rarely had a moment’s worry, the six-year-old gelding eventually scoring by two-and-a-half lengths.

Trainer James McAuley continued his good run of form when Rocky Dreams (6/4 fav), who he also owns, landed the Crowne Plaza Dundalk Race & Stay Package Apprentice Claiming Race in the hands of Joey Sheridan. It was the stable’s sixth winner at Dundalk since February 1st.

James was also responsible for the runner-up, Inflection Point, who had also finished second to Rocky Dreams in this race in 2022. It was a case of deja-vu all over again.

Rising apprentice star Adam Caffrey timed things to a nicety when winning on the Charles Byrnes-trained Miss Abby Jools (10/3, having been available at 8/1 in the morning), with the partnership getting up in the final few strides to win the 12th July Ladies Day At Dundalk Handicap.

There was no such drama for Buyin Buyin, a real powerhouse of a colt, who landed the fixture’s opening race, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sires Series Maiden for trainer Willie Browne at the rewarding odds of 14/1.

Bred by the Tally-Ho Stud in County Westmeath, the son of Bungle Inthejungle was sold for just €8,000 as a yearling.

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He is owned by Leidiana Marques, who is the wife of winning jockey, Manoel Marques, a Brazilian, who said, “He’s a big horse and just needs time to get fit. I think he’s a good horse and I hope he is going to be a Royal Ascot horse.” Milliners, you have been warned!

The most-emphatic winner of the night was Aidan O’Brien’s San Antonio (10/3), who bounded clear in the closing stages of the View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Maiden in the hands of Wayne Lordan. The winning distance was three-and-three-quarter lengths.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong said, “He is a horse that is going to stay well this year. He is going the right way.” Chris added that he may even run in a Classic trial.

By leading sire Dubawi, San Antonio (or Saint Anthony, in English) is out of the Galileo mare Rain Goddess, a Group 1-winner during her racing career. It’s a lovely pedigree and he can surely only progress again from this emphatic success.

Next Meeting

Dundalk will race again on Tuesday April 11th (first race, 5.15pm), when entry to the track will be free, and Friday April 14th (first race, 5.10pm).