After the well-backed Alvar had completed a double at Dundalk for the yard, Michael Halford said: "It opened up nicely for him down the inside. That's his level and trip.

"His owner, Paul Rooney is from Castlewellan in County Down and he loves having runners here and he's been exceptionally patient with this fellow."

Alvar (Shane Foley up, also rode the earlier Halford winner, Senyuman was backed from around 3/1 this morning into 7/4 and despite being a bit keen he had plenty left to offer at the business end, in front well over a furlong out on the way to beating Black N Brew by a length.

Another couple of horses that were lively in the market were The Tally Ho Kid as big as 9s this morning into 7/2, beat only one home, whilst Baffles Brains (20s into 10s) had to settle for eighth.

Alvar's success meant that one investor scooped the Jackpot pool of nearly twenty one and a half thousand Euros. The dividend was over 16K. (MG & EM)