In form jockey Ronan Whelan lands valuable treble at Dundalk Stadium

It takes a good horse to win the Diamond Stakes just once, but Bear Story (6/1) made it back-to-back victories in the €40,000 Listed contest when getting the better of a good tussle with the David Marnane-trained Freescape to land last Friday’s Al Basti Equiworld Dubai sponsored big race at Dundalk.

The winner formed the first leg of a double for Michael Halford – no one has trained more winners on Dundalk’s all-weather surface than he has – and of a treble for jockey Ronan Whelan.

Michael’s double, and Ronan’s treble, were completed when the well-backed Chally Chute (10/3) won the first division of the William Hill Extra Places Everyday Handicap, prompting the trainer to describe the jockey as “world class”.

Similar compliments were heard from trainer Andy Oliver – “no one rides this track better” – after he’d provided Ronan with the second leg of his treble, Manbehindthemoney (33/1), who is owned by New York-based JP Ledwidge, in the William Hill Racing Radio Handicap.

A winner of a maiden at Leopardstown in May, the lightly-raced gelding is now back on track following some unplaced runs and looks to have a promising future.

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Trainer Dylan Hogan also secured a double on the card via the wins of Tawaazon (7/4 fav), in the hands of Sean Bowen in the card’s claiming race, and Rocky Dreams (16/5) in the six-furlong handicap. Both races were sponsored by bookmaker William Hill.

The latter was ridden by very promising apprentice Daniel King, who also rode a winner at Dundalk the previous Friday and one over jumps at Listowel on Thursday. He is both talented and versatile.

The value of barrier trial form at Dundalk was again evident when trial winner Not Even Close (4/1), trained by Donnacha O’Brien, made a winning debut in what looked a very good renewal of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden in the hands of Gavin Ryan.

The third home, for example, Starry Eyed, trained by Aidan O’Brien, cost €1.5m as a yearling and as a tall and powerful filly, holds some very good entries.

The card’s opening race saw a gamble landed as the well-backed Mehman (3/1) won fairly comfortably in the hands of Shane Foley for trainer Ger O’Leary.

It was case of deja-vu in the card’s finale when the Tony Martin-trained Draco Pulchrac (7/4 fav) ran out a comfortable winner in the hands of Ben Coen. Tony and Ben had teamed up last Friday to win the final race of the night.

The winner is clearly progressive as he defied an 11lbs rise in the ratings from the handicapper to win here. Whose to say that he won’t be back for a hat-trick bid?

Next meeting

Dundalk will race again on Friday September 30th when there will be two Listed races on the card, both to be contested by two-year-olds, both sponsored by the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders’ Fund, the Legacy Stakes and the Star Appeal Stakes. The first race is likely to be due off at 4.55pm.