Tai Sing Yeh and Conor Stone Walsh win for trainer James McAuley from Petit Calvados Healy Racing© Photo Healy Racing
A hardy veteran with over 90 races run and an up and coming young apprentice riding out of his skin joined forces, as Tai Sing Yeh and Conor Stone-Walsh fought off all challenges to win the Gateway Hotel Race & Stay Apprentice Handicap at Dundalk.
The nine-year-old Tai Sing Yeh had won 11 of his 93 starts prior to today but looked as though he could well have another productive winter as he looked on good terms with himself here.
Smartly away from stalls as per usual, the Exceed And Excel gelding kicked a couple of lengths clear entering the straight but looked set to be collared at the furlong pole as both Petit Calvados and Rumbled Again gave chase.
Indeed, the former managed to draw level and briefly head the eventual winner at one point just after passing the furlong marker.
However, with a rider who looks to be a bright prospect showing his talents in the saddle, Tai Sing Yeh found plenty for pressure, battling back strongly to edge ahead close home.
James McAuley said: "He is a legend up here!
"He was plenty high in the handicap and just pulls it out. Once they didn't fly by him up the straight, and once he gets into a battle, he really is hardy.
"In Ireland there are a lot of good riders and we had Adam (Caffrey) on the other one (Rocky Dreams) and it was a flip of a coin who ended up on what one.
"To be fair, we did get in very early this week (to book Stone-Walsh). Apart from the 4lb claim, he's good and strong.
"He was the leading horse here last year.
"Derek (O'Connor) just half missed getting the hood off him in Laytown, so he came out after them. He had no blinkers or anything on and he just enjoyed his day out then."
When asked about numbers for the winter series, he replied: "We are probably a little few down on last year, but anything we do have can go.
"We are 45 minutes up the road and trips to Clonmel yesterday don't do it for me! Dundalk suits us.
"I'd be all for it (more meetings in Dundalk) - when the all-weather track goes to Tipperary, I don't know what we will do!"
Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
