Your Pal Tal (Donagh O'Connor, far-side) beats Majestic Timeline (Chris Hayes)© Photo Healy Racing
Your Pal Tal (2/1 favourite) continued his rise up the ranks, coming home strongly under Donagh O'Connor to bring up his hat-trick in the Dundalk Stadium On Facebook Handicap. Majestic Timeline (7/2) put it up to her rivals from the front under Chris Hayes, but she was nabbed late by Your Pal Tal who prevailed by a head. The market leaders dominated here with Strategic Heights (11/4) two and a half lengths back in third.
"My plan for this horse is well-documented (Ayr Gold Cup). It may have seemed a bit far-fetched but he's shown there that he's going the right way and he's heading towards premier handicaps," reasoned winning trainer Johnny Levins.
"He'll get into all the big races now off bottom-weight and the long-term plan is still the Ayr Gold Cup.
"Whether it's five or six furlongs it doesn't really matter and he could even end up in Dubai next year." (AM & EM)
