Tawaazon quickened away smartly to record back-to-back wins at Dundalk in the opener this afternoon.

James McAuley 's charge had won over six at the track a fortnight ago and recorded his first win at the minimum trip in good style, when taking the Sky Bet Handicap.

Colin Keane produced the 13/2 shot to lead at the furlong marker and he soon settled matters as he pulled clear in the closing stages for a four length success over Collective Power

McAuley said: "He has surprised us. I mean, to be fair, we had got our eye on him and I said that the last time he won, but not to that extent.

"We literally just dropped him back to five furlongs because he travelled so easily over six the last day. Colin had said he would be worth a shot at five.

"They went a fair pace and it looked a hot race on paper.

"He surprised me. Denis (Hogan) and I get on really well and I asked Denis a couple of days after I got him about him feeling like a proper horse and did he do that down there. He said sure that's why they kept him so long. He always promised it and just didn't deliver.

"It is just possible that sprinting might be his gig."

And on Tai Sing Yeh (finished 6th), who is the leading horse of the Dundalk Winter Series, he added:

"When we claimed him as an eight-year-old, people thought we were mad. I'm delighted for the horse as, for his age, it is not easy to rock up here every week. We have been aggressive with him."

(Quotes by Michael Graham)