Seanie shows plenty of spark on the sand

Seanie rolled back the years with a dominant performance in Division Two of the seven-furlong handicap at Dundalk.

David Marnane 's charge was rated as high as 103 in October 2014 and the eight-year-old raced off 74 in this contest.

He tracked Alans Pride into the straight before hitting the front at the two pole.

He stormed clear by the final furlong and was kept up to his work to come in by a length and three quarters at 11/2.

The gambled-on Poetic Choice (12/1 to 7/1) came through for second, with Honor Oak half a length away in third at 14/1.

Jockey Declan McDonogh said: "I planned on maybe making it but we were going a good gallop and I was happy to take a lead.

“He travelled around sweet and didn't feel like an eight-year-old anyway. He felt like a horse that was enjoying life and he finished out well.

“These horses deserve to be given a chance (on ratings) when they get to that age and they can't keep killing them with weight.

“He showed plenty of enthusiasm still and quickened well when I let him down.”

Seanie's last victory came in October 2015 at Tipperary. This was his sixth career success.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson