RACING | Platinum Warrior leaves a big impression at Dundalk Stadium
Owner Zhang Yuesheng had a successful night at Dundalk Stadium last Friday night with a double that included an impressive win for the Michael Halford-trained Platinum Warrior.
Ridden by Pat Smullen, the two-year-old son of champion sire Galileo ran out a seven-and-a-half length winner of the mile maiden, coming clear of the field in a way that suggested good days lie ahead.
The owner’s double was completed in impressive fashion in the next race on the card with Cascavelle (14/1) winning by four lengths in the night’s feature race, the €25,000 Floodlit Friday Nights Handicap. In doing so, he gave trainer Robbie McNamara his first win at Dundalk in just his second year with a licence.
Also in double form on the night was last season’s champion apprentice Oisin Orr whose first win came on the Dermot McLoughlin-trained Commander Won (9/2), an easy winner of the Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Apprentice Handicap.
The second arrived on Keith Henry Clarke’s Timia (6/4f), who was also an easy four-length winner as she justified strong market support in the card’s finale.
Platinum Warrior’s rider Pat Smullen also secured two winners on the night with Menelik (5/2) having landed the card’s opening race, the claimer. This was Menelik’s third run in Ireland but his second at Dundalk and he has now won four races in 2017.
Backed at much-bigger prices than her SP of 10/1, Julia’s Magic quickened well to win the card’s nursery under Gary Carroll.
The card’s other two races produced the closest finishes of the night.
Firstly, the John Geoghan-owned-and-trained Massa Lubrense (5/2f) arrived late on the scene under Dylan Hogan to deny Ger Lyons’ Dhafeera by a neck in the seven-furlong maiden.
The John Murphy-trained La Cumparsita also arrived late to snatch victory from Pat Martin’s Goodnite Irina by just a nose in the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Handicap in the hands of champion jockey Colin Keane.
The next meeting is scheduled for this Friday night, November 17th.
