< Festive Cheer put a smile on the faces of Dundalk punters with an impressive victory in the Bookings At dundalkstadium.com Maiden.
Sent off the even-money favourite having been available around the 3-1 mark just half an hour before the off, Aidan O'Brien's Montjeu colt, out of a half-sister to 1000 Guineas winner Speciosa, certainly lived up to expectations.
It was a considerably more polished display than when beaten the best part of 20 lengths on debut, with Joseph O'Brien content to take a lead before easing his mount to the front near the furlong marker.< Made In Design tried to go with him but she was two lengths down as the winner sauntered past the post.
It had been a very similar story in the opening Info At dundalk.com Maiden as Vinson Massif (4-1) stepped up markedly on his own Curragh debut effort to score for the O'Brien team.
Only sixth behind stablemate The United States when first seen last month, the Giant's Causeway colt was far more streetwise as he made his all-weather introduction.< Scrapper Blackwell was hot on the winner's heels as he swept past the front-running Lottie Dod entering the final furlong, but the Ballydoyle challenger held on to win by a head.
Division one of the Follow Dundalk On Facebook Handicap went to the Garvan Donnelly-trained Ningaloo Reef (5-1), who was guided home by Seamie Heffernan.
Mick Halford and Conor Hoban were in double form, kicked off by Grand Heiress (12/1) in the second instalment, and the partnership only had to wait half an hour to follow up when Russian Soul beat Brown Butterfly by a length and three-quarters in the www.dundalkstadium.com Handicap.
The Shane Foley-ridden Zalanga completed a treble for Halford in the Group Discounts At Dundalk Maiden, while Accompanist and Polly Ella took the two divisions of the Follow Dundalk On Twitter Handicap.
