McNamara has first Dundalk winner

Cascavelle gave trainer Robbie McNamara his first winner at Dundalk this evening when comfortably landing the Floodlit Friday Nights Handicap under jockey Declan McDonogh.

The son of Shamardal was completing a double on the day for owner Zhang Yuesheng, having earlier won with Michael Halford’s Platinum Warrior and sprinted clear of his rivals in the home straight for a four lengths win over Katiymann

McNamara missed the race but afterwards McDonogh said “Robbie said he would go very close and rang me as he's stuck in traffic. He said to just ride him whatever way you find him and he pinged the gates and we were hacking.

“When I let him go at the two (furlong pole) he quickened and he only really had to race for two-and-a-half.

“He's an ex Moyglare horse and absolutely pinged over the surface; he has some action and covered the ground really well and seemed to enjoy it. I could barely pull him up and he flew home and won easy.”

Quotes from Gary Carson