Marble Statuette and Colin Keane (nearside) beats Your Pal Tal and Donagh O'Connor© Photo Healy Racing
Up to race four it's been a good session for fancied horses at Dundalk and Marble Statuette the 2/1 favourite struck in Floodlit Friday Nights Apprentice Handicap.
Tony Martin's grey, up 8Ibs for a course and distance win three weeks ago, had her bid for a follow-up threatened by a slow start, but her rider, Colin Keane, certainly isn't the type to panic.
He brought through the Moyglare Stud-bred Mizzen Mast filly from last, down the outer in the straight. She edged a little to her left when challenging but there was no harm done as she went on to account for Your Pal Tal by half a length.
"She missed the break and she got in trouble. We were lucky enough it worked out," acknowledged Martin.
"It worked out well but we were all sweating turning in.
"The intention was to stick her in foal but we'll see what the owner wants to do now."
For his part Crossmaglen-based owner Glen Devlin said: "We sent her to stud this year but she didn't come in season. She'll have another go." (MG & EM)
