Dundalk Races, Friday 24 March, First Race, 6pm

DUNDALK RACES

FRIDAY 24 MARCH 2017

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OVERVIEW—-

THIS IS A CARD THAT HOLDS PLENTY OF INTEREST. SPONSORED BY AT THE RACES, THERE ARE TWO €25,000 CONTESTS, IN WHICH, IN THE FIRST OF THEM (AT 7:30PM), GORDON LORD BYRON – A SEVEN-TIME GROUP WINNER, TWO OF THEM AT GROUP 1 LEVEL, INCLUDING THE 2013 HAYDOCK SPRINT CUP, AND A 15-TIME WINNER IN TOTAL, THREE OF THOSE WINS HAVING COME AT DUNDALK, INCLUDING THE FIRST TWO VICTORIES OF HIS CAREER – IS SET TO RUN.

HE HAS EARNED AROUND €2MILLION IN PRIZE-MONEY AND IS ONE OF THE MOST-POPULAR HORSES IN TRAINING AND IT IS GREAT TO SEE HIM RUNNING AT DUNDALK THIS EVENING – WHERE HIS RECORD IS THREE WINS AND TWO THIRDS FROM SIX RUNS

THERE ARE ALSO FOUR RUNNERS FROM BRITAIN TONIGHT – PEARL SPECTRE (TRAINED BY PHIL MCENTEE) AND SIGN OF THE KODIAC (JAMES GIVEN) AT 7:30PM AND FIRE FIGHTING (MARK JOHNSTON) AND ELBERETH (ANDREW BALDING) IN THE 8:30PM RACE. IT IS GREAT TO SEE THEM HERE, TOO.

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL-WINNING TRAINERS WILLIE MULLINS, GORDON ELLIOTT AND HENRY DE BROMHEAD ALSO HAVE RUNNERS ON TONIGHT’S CARD, AND RACHAEL BLACKMORE, WHO IS CARVING OUT SUCH A SUCCESSFUL CAREER OVER JUMPS, HAS TWO RIDES.

ON SATURDAY IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, THE DUBAI WORLD CUP MEETING TAKES PLACE IN MEYDAN. THERE ARE THREE DUNDALK WINNERS SET TO RUN ON THE CARD – SEVENTH HEAVEN, LONG ISLAND SOUND AND WASHINGTON DC. WE WISH THEM WELL.

WITH SUNDAY’S TOTE IRISH LINCOLNSHIRE IN MIND, THERE ARE EIGHT DUNDALK WINNERS IN THE FIELD FOR THE BIG RACE AT NAAS (4:40PM). THEY ARE:RED AVENGER – DAMIAN ENGLISHTITHONUS – DENIS HOGANAUSSIE VALENTINE – PAUL DEEGANSPECIFIC GRAVITY – ADO MCGUINNESSMR RIGHT – JOHN LEVINSTRIBAL PATH – DAMIAN ENGLISHBROKOPONDO – JOHN LEVINSLEAN AND KEEN – SEAN BYRNETEXAS ROCK (FINISHED THIRD), AUSSIE VALENTINE (4TH) AND TRIBAL PATH (4TH) HAVE ALL RUN RECENTLY AT DUNDALK, WHILE SPECIFIC GRAVITY, RED AVENGER AND BROKOPONDO HAVE ALL WON RECENTLY AT DUNDALK