Ceallach brings up a double for connections

Ceallach completed a short-priced double at Dundalk for owner Paul Rooney, trainer Michael Halford and rider Ronan Whelan when landing the William Hill Racing Radio Handicap.

The same connections were on the mark an hour earlier with the heavily-backed 10/11 favourite Slieve Binnian in the Nursery and Ceallach was also a strong order in the 1m4f event.

The Lope De Vega gelding was available at 3/1 overnight and sent off at just 5/4 favourite against 13 rivals with Whelan challenging on the favoured stands’ side in the straight.

A maiden winner here in July, Ceallach got on top in the final 100 yards to beat Dalvey by half a length with Bring Us Paradise close up in third.

Halford said, "His last run was really solid and Shane (Foley) just felt on the night he just got stopped at a vital time and he thought it might have made the difference.

"On form, a reproduction of that run was going to leave him hard to beat tonight and that is the way it worked out.

"I don't think he necessarily improved since that run, but he has come back and repeated it.

"He loves to travel and you've to keep filling him with confidence. He's still a bit immature, but that's the way he likes to be ridden. Ronan is riding fantastically and he is giving those horses great rides.

"We probably have about a dozen (for the winter series) but, some of them as they run, we will be stopping with them. We have plenty at the moment, but they will dwindle out as they run. He'll keep going for another while."

Quotes by Michael Graham