Hassett joins Caffrey at top of apprentice championship

Wayne Hassett drew level with Adam Caffrey at the head of the apprentice championship as The Cola Brasil returned to form in division one of the William Hill Top Price Guarantee Handicap at Dundalk.

The Michael Browne-trained gelding won twice back in 2022 and a return to the Polytrack helped to rekindle his spark.

The 9/1 shot made headway towards the far side over a furlong out and kept on well to score by half a length. Seas And Oceans took the runner-up spot with fellow 9/2 joint favourite Akeela a head back in third.

Hassett has now joined Caffrey on the 29-winner mark for the campaign with James Ryan, successful earlier on the card, just one behind.

Winning trainer Michael Browne said, “Thrilled! He had been running disappointingly there a few times and I think the ground was wrong.

"He was in great form and I never had him better, but he just disappointed the last couple of runs he had. Today he did it and thank God!

"He'll come back here again. He won't run for a month now, but you will see plenty of him over the winter."

On Wayne Hassett, he added: "He is going to be a very good jockey, great brain.

"He is after riding two or three winners for me and from the first day he rode for me, I liked him. His 5lb claim will go fairly fast."

Ronan Whelan was given a four-day careless riding ban aboard ninth-placed Ateenosix following an incident early in the straight.

Quotes by Michael Graham