Double in Dundalk!
14/01/2012

Double Kicks off 2012 in Style

We started 2012 with a bang courtesy of a double with Almadaa and Harry Trotter at Dundalk on Friday evening. The latter, owned by the Final Furlong syndicate, of whom some of the members were involved with the ill-fated smart handicapper Separate Ways, took the spoils in the opening six-furlong maiden, opening his account at his seventh attempt, under Fergal Lynch.

Harry Trotter, a bargain 9,000gns purchase at 2010 Tattersalls Book II Yearling Sale, has been a consistent performer, earning prize-money in all his races bar two since making his racecourse debut at Down Royal last June. Always handy, the Kodiac gelding led early in the straight and despite idling inside the final furlong held the late challenge of Atticus Finch, passing the post half length clear of Eddie Lynam’s colt, another son of exciting young sire Kodiac.

Harry Trotter, snapping a frustrating run of eight seconds since Angel’s Pursuit won at Dundalk in early December, has earned a break and will return to action in the spring. He could be a candidate for a six-furlong handicap, confined to three-year-olds, at Chester’s May Festival.

Almadaa bagged a quick double for the yard and Lynch in the following six-furlong handicap, thirty minutes later, under a polished ride from the Derry-born jockey. Owned by the Galway-based Western Partnership, Almadaa relished the strong early pace and was delivered with a strong challenge entering the final furlong, showing a sharp turn of foot he drew clear readily to score by a comfortable two and quarter lengths. The victory was an overdue triumph for the consistent Exceed And Excel gelding, who was notching his first success in 27 starts. We’ll see how the handicapper reacts before making plans.