< Ship Of Dreams subjected Port Lions to a third straight runner-up finish when proving too strong in the closing stages of the Dundalk Stadium Business Club 2018 Maiden.
The pair had the race between them at the start of the home straight and it was Joseph O'Brien's 10-3 chance who battled better, beating the odds-on favourite by two and three-quarter lengths under Wayne Lordan.
O'Brien made it a double when Sean Corby guided Zaofu (3-1) to victory in the Follow DundalkStadium On Twitter Maiden.
Halford did not have to wait long for consolation as his Invincible Ryker (10-3 favourite) stormed home under Ross Coakley to land the Crowne Plaza Race And Stay Rated Race.
A former O'Brien inmate came out on top in a thrilling finish to the richest race on the card, the Jolly January Dining At Dundalk Handicap, as Wooster (7-1) made it two wins on the spin for Noel Kelly.
A line of five horses across the track vied for the lead entering the final furlong, but Chris Hayes' mount found most, coming home a length and a quarter ahead of Commander Won
Hayes completed a double on the card when taking the first division of the www.dundalkstadium.com Handicap with Richard O'Brien's 5-1 chance Indian Tomahawk
The well-backed Frank Birrane-trained California Lad (11-4 favourite) landed the second division under Denis Linehan.< Flawlessly got up late to land the Happy New Year From All At Dundalk Stadium Handicap.
Sheila Lavery's 12-1 chance was behind a wall of horses entering the straight as Oneoveryou made her bid for home, but Sean Davis got a real tune out of the winner who charged down the outside to win by half a length.
Conor McGovern was another young jockey to strike up a winning partnership as he drove Patrick Martin's 9-1 chance Lady Rosebud to a three-length victory over Texas Radio in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap.
