Church has answer to punters prayers in Dundalk finale. Having been well supported from as big as 20/1 into 9/1, the Denis Hogan trained Church Mountain easily landed a third course win when staying on best to take the concluding Friday Night Lights Return Weekly From 19th September Handicap at Dundalk. A winner off 63 on the grass at Limerick in June, the gelding had previously been successful off 2lb higher at this track. Able to race off 60 this afternoon, that fact wasn't lost on shrewd punters who supported the seven-year-old throughout the day. Held up in rear as per usual. jockey Joey Sheridan began to pick off rivals early in the straight, as Church Mountain closed on the leaders. Coming through on the outside to head Porsche Lad over 150 yards out, the eventual winner powered clear for an easy three-and-three-quarter lengths victory. Joey Sheridan said: "I think the difference today was back here, he has been running on the grass all summer. "I was able to get a fill between the '3' and the '2', when usually they quicken between the '3' and the '2', rather than be off the bridle chasing him. "Back down into that grade, it was ideal. I felt like we went along and it played into his hands." On stable form, he added: "Flying! Fair play to him (Hogan), he can train anything - Flat, jumps, point-to-pointers, it doesn't matter. "He's a great fella too, I've been with him since I started. Denis has nearly gone from being my boss to one of my friends and it is great to see him doing well." Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
