Fashaar (Conor McGovern) beats Latchet (Kevin Manning)© Photo Healy Racing
Followers of a yard in-form were rewarded in the 5.00 with Pat Murphy's No Approval The second split of the www.dundalkstadium.com Handicap again showed the sense in following a string from which the winners are flowing, Fashaar (20/1) defying his top-weight burden for Anthony McCann.
McCann and his stable jockey Conor McGovern can do little wrong at present and Fashaar was turned out here in top-form for his first assignment in 91 days.
Staring off on the polytrack and also debuting in handicap company, Fashaar proved tough to get the best of a good duel with Latchet by a neck.
"He's a nice horse. I bought him out of Godolphin last year for a fella in Canada who is originally from Enniskillen. He wanted out of him because he's going on five and thank-god I talked Rita Shah into buying him," explained McCann.
"I've always liked him and always thought he should have won a maiden. Things just didn't work out and one day at Pontefract he got injured. A horse stood on him coming around the home-bend then when he was cruising.
"I was pretty confident tonight. He got a little bit lonely as he was in front for so long but he hung on well.
"The horse are all in great form, thank-god, and I've a good team behind me from staff to owners. Even Dundalk plays it part as we gallop here twice a week."
R.P. Downey, rider of Bubbly Bellini trained by Adrian McGuinness, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount got tight for room in the straight and checked.
S. Foley, rider of World's Greatest (USA), trained by Keith Henry Clarke, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount was checked in the straight and eased.
(GC & EM)
