Billboa completed his hat-trick at Dundalk with a narrow success over Inishmot Prince in the opener on the all-weather this afternoon. Maggie McGrath cut out the running in the five furlong contest but was joined by the well-backed 5/4 favourite going to the furlong marker, where there were a host of horses in with chances.

Willie Browne 's charge had a narrow lead inside the final furlong and was all out at the line to score by a head under Declan McDonogh.

Browne said afterwards: "He keeps getting better!

"He's kind of ground dependent. I tried him on turf before, but I was running him on soft ground and he wants good ground.

"We might look at something there in Newcastle (All Weather Finals Day), maybe there would be something there for him. He might not be highly rated enough."

When asked if it was the horse or trainer responsible for the improvement, he replied: "It must be the horse, it can't be the trainer as the trainer was 78 the other day!"

(Quotes by Michael Graham)