All-weather marvel Captain Joy booked his Good Friday passage to Lingfield with a win in the featured E25,000 Sun Bets Race at Dundalk this evening, landing the Fast-Track Qualifier under jockey Pat Smullen.

Smullen, who won the earlier maiden on the Michael Halford trained Karakour had Captain Joy tracking leader Geological for much of the trip and produced the winner to lead over a furlong out before scoring a three parts of a length win over Beach Bar

Heavily backed 4/6 favourite Glastonbury Song missed the break and never looked likely to win, before eventually finished a well held fourth.

An understandably delighted Collins, whose handling of the gelding has been commendable, later commented “he's a star and he's a very genuine, consistent horse.

"If they were all as honest as him life would be very easy. He was off the track for a long time and has come on well from the run the last day.

"Not too many have won three Qualifiers and he'll go straight now to Lingfield.

“I must say Hazel (Wallace) looks after him and she does a super job. She rides work for us, she drives the box - she's a great girl. She's done an awful lot of work with him and he takes a lot of work. He's getting that bit older now that he takes a little bit more.”

Captain Joy has now won 10 of his 21 all-weather races (including the 2016 All-Weather Mile Championship at Lingfield) but, in complete contrast, has failed to win any of his 21 turf races.

Quotes from Alan Magee