The Michael Halford-trained Banna Boirche looks like having another profitable spell on the all-weather this winter after he won with plenty up his sleeve at Dundalk.
Having scored once at the track last August and twice earlier in 2010, the gelded son of Lucky Owners once again proved his suitability to the Polytrack surface.
Johnny Murtagh extricated the heavily-backed 9-4 favourite from a tricky position to fly home down the centre of the track and claim the Dundalk Stadium On Facebook Handicap.
Despite still having a wall of horses in front of him a furlong and a half out, Murtagh remained calm and his mount duly responded when asked for a winning effort, ultimately scoring with more in hand than the official length and a half-margin suggests.
Pat Smullen got a fine tune out of Johnstown Lad (14-1) in the opening www.dundalkstadium.com Handicap, initiating a hat-trick on the night for the title-seeking jockey.
Daniel Mark Loughnane's gelding was taking a drop in both trip and class having finished down the field over six furlongs at the Curragh last month, and came home a neck to the good over Primalova
Smullen was also on the mark when Late Day Sun this time trained by Dermot Weld but another largely unconsidered 14-1 chance, edged out the front-running Poinsettia in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies' Maiden.
Aidan O'Brien's Poinsettia, ridden by the trainer's son Joseph, was a gallant runner-up having stuck to her task when challenged at the furlong marker but Dermot Weld's filly had clearly learned from her Naas introduction and gained the verdict by a head following a prolonged tussle.
Smullen's 2249-1 treble was complete when 9-1 shot Rich Tapestry another for Weld, opened his account at the second time of asking in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C & G Maiden).
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