Dundalk specialist Golden Twilight leads home Halford 1-2

Michael Halford saddled a notable 1-2 in the concluding Story Of Dundalk Stadium Book Buy Online Handicap as Golden Twilight held off stablemate Ceallach

Golden Twilight has now scored on his last four visits to this venue including a good payday here in August when landing the Irish Stallion Farms EBF ‘Red God’ Handicap.

Ronan Whelan had the five-year-old prominent throughout and he kept on gamely under pressure to hold on by a neck from Ceallach, who didn’t enjoy the clearest of passages. Alaroos was a length back in third.

Halford said, "He's a great horse around here, he just loves that surface. He's very gutsy and that was a great weight-carrying performance.

"It is a pleasure to have him and his owner is a local man, so it is great for him to have a winner. It's great to see a horse that enjoys it so much. He has earned a break.

"I'm delighted with the runner-up too. He did (get into a barging match) and Shane (Foley) said he was a bit unlucky, it just didn't happen for him.

"He finished out well. We stepped him up to a mile and a half to see if he got it, but he got it well and again he is a horse that loves that surface. He's a work in progress, and is getting stronger there all the time."

Quotes by Michael Halford