A final day double for Joseph O'Brien at Dundalk enabled him to share the apprentice jockeys' championship with Gary Carroll and Ben Curtis.

All three were locked together on 39 winners.

Carroll, the defending champion, and Curtis had struggled for winners in recent weeks as the season drew to a close with the final few meetings on the all-weather, but O'Brien has been on a roll.

Fresh from a double on Wednesday, O'Brien struck on board Empowering (11-4) for his father in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, making nearly all the running.

"She progressed nicely from her first run to her second and has done the same again here. Joseph felt she wouldn't mind stepping up to a mile after the last day. Hopefully she will continue to progress next year," said the winning trainer.

O'Brien also scored on Regent Street (2-5 favourite) for his father in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, but had to nervously survive a steward's enquiry.

However, it could have all been so different as Carroll looked nailed on to win the final race on Dark Prospect before Denny Crane swooped late to deny him consecutive titles.

Carroll also went close on Via Mia who was narrowly denied by No Trimmings (16-1) in the second division of the Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Handicap.

Johnny Murtagh returned from a short stint riding abroad with a winner on Sports Casual (9-2) in the first division for Yvonne Dunleavy.

"She had run well when second on her last two starts and I'm delighted to win here. She will have a few months off and be back again next year. Hopefully I can get a few more owners after this," said Dunleavy.

Fran Berry put up a bold bid to be crowned champion jockey and signed off for the year with a winner on Brian Ellison's English raider Webbow (13-2).

Pat Smullen was crowned champion jockey with 95 winners. Seven ahead of Berry and eight ahead of Murtagh.