What a success story this Maontri is

In a similar vein to the first winner, Strategic Heights Maontri has come a long way in a short time and the Catcher In The Rye mare made it four on the bounce when justifying odds-on favouritism, again under Colin Keane in the Hotels Unite For Tourism Race at Dundalk.

Maontri's rise to prominence has coincided with the fitting of a hood and here, taking her record to four wins and a third from five efforts on the polytrack, the seven-year-old made all.

Her market rival Akasaka got there to hold every chance in the final two furlongs but conceding eight pounds to a bang-in-form mare proved beyond him and a length and three parts separated them at the line.

The other two participants, Shabra Emperor and In Salutem were left eight lengths and four and a quarter lengths behind.

"Four-in-a-row must be heading towards a record here!," said Tynan.

"The race suited her with the conditions. There wasn't much for her between the last day and tonight.

"This race came up and she was ready for it but I would imagine she'll improve a bit. Seven would be a better trip for her also but we won't complain. We're thrilled to get four-in-a-row - it's unbelievable."

The mare could now break into the 100s in the ratings and Tynan quipped: "It's better than being 30! We want her for breeding so the higher the rating the better. We'll try and get a bit of Listed placed with her.

"I think she'll have no problem handling grass - I don't think it'll make any difference.

"Colin was brilliant on her. I said to him with the four runners it might be tricky but that he'd won three on her so I wouldn't tell him what to do.

"He said she gave a bit of a blow a furlong out but then came back on it." (GC & EM)