Having showed promise in two starts for Cormac Farrell, Star Strewn impressed on her stable debut for Ado McGuinness when landing the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap in Dundalk.
Always handy under Adam Caffrey, the Starman filly asserted soon after the two-furlong pole and ran on well to beat 74-rated Glitter And Glory by two and a half lengths.
“She’s a very good filly, definitely a black-type filly. We got her after Christmas and she’s strengthening up nicely,” said McGuinness.
“We’ll mind her now and bring her back for the grass – we might look at a Guineas trial for her.”
Winning rider Caffrey added; “She’s a straight-forward filly, very laid-back at home. She has a bit of class and quickened up well. She should improve from this and a bit of ease in the ground will help her on grass.”
The Gavin Cromwell-trained debutante Faustyna (14/1) provided Chris Hayes with his first success of 2026 and the first leg of a double when landing the six-furlong maiden, form which morning favourite Dusty Rock was a late withdrawal.
A daughter of Kodi Bear, Faustyna beat Jazzit by three-quarters of a length, prompting Hayes to comment; “Gavin told me to get to do things right. I took her back; bit we got going plenty early and she picked up well and then ground it out. She’ll appreciate an extra furlong, so we can use her turn of foot.”
Hayes completed his 164/1 double on board the Gordon Elliott-trained top-weight Boston Benjamin in the DundalkStadium.com 3-Y-0 Handicap, foiling Salacious by a nose after a good tussle.
Boston Benjamin, a son of Far Above, was making his handicap debut and sporting a tongue-time for the first time.
“On his Naas run, he looked a better than these,” said Hayes, “He travelled into it nice, but the second fought well. Gordon told me not to win too far.”
Without a win since taking the 2024 Chesterfield Cup at Glorious Goodwood, six-year-old Take Heart scored on his third start for Stephen Thorne and Shamrock Thoroughbreds, when beating just three rivals, under a hands and heels ride from Jack Kearney, in the concluding View Restaurant Handicap.
“The plan was to get him settled and hit the line well,” said Kearney. “He did it a shade snugly and will be a lovely horse for the grass during the summer.”
An 87-rated, six-race maiden, Ben Lawers justified 8/11 favouritism for Jessica and Kate Harrington in the Book Online @DundalkStadium.com Maiden but had to work hard to get the better of 55-rated Battle Borne by a neck.
Kate Harrington, who owns the Siyouni colt, commented; “He’s a nice horse, but scored dirty the last day. He relaxed for the first time today and Keithen said he took two massive blows, so should improve. He’s a fun horse, loves a fast surface and should continue to go up through the ranks.”
Apprentice Rory Mulligan, who is based with Johnny Murtagh, registered his 30th win and rode out his 7lb. claim when well-backed 100/30 favourite Masked Angel, trained by Diego Diaz, captured the Put The Fun In Fundraising At Dundalk Handicap, scoring smoothly from Hasiyna.
Another apprentice who continues to impress, Reese Holohan was on the mark again when partnering the Terene O’Brien-trained mare Inchiquin maid to victory over Minella Mate and Beauparc in the two-mile handicap.
And Ben Coen, who rode in Abu Dhabi last Saturday, savoured his first domestic win of 2026 when Ciaran Murphy’s Baila Conmigo knuckled down well to see off Deluca Chap in the (0-60) Floodlit Friday Nights At Dundalk Handicap.
