Northern Surprise unbeaten on polytrack Northern Surprise swooped down the outside to collar Poetic Choice and win Dundalk's mile rated race by a head. The 11/1 shot didn't look like being one of the contenders as he raced in rear of mid-division swinging into the straight and was soon pushed along by Billy Lee. Hat Alnasar had taken the field along but began to toil a furlong and a half out as Great Wide Open challenged down his inside. Heavy Weight was ridden in third at this stage. Lee went for the whip on Northern Surprise, who had progressed to fifth, outside the furlong pole and the four-year-old gelding began to make good headway to reel the leaders in. The 11/1 shot drew alongside Heavy Weight with half a furlong to race and thundered home past Hat Alnasar to then grab Poetic Choice on the line. Poetic Choice was returned at 9/1 in second while Hat Alnasar held on to third at 13/2. “He seems to like this place and Billy gave him a great ride,” trainer Tim Doyle said. “Billy felt if he'd gone any sooner he might not have lasted out over the mile. “We'll tip away during the spring here. He's been a great old servant and has won five now. “He probably got caught out on heavy ground a few times and didn't get home but he seems to handle anything bar firm. We wouldn't chance him on that.” Northern Surprise made it two from two on the polytrack as he was also successful in a seven furlong race at Dundalk in November. This gave Doyle a boost as he revealed that stable star Mallowney is out for the season. He said: "Mallowney is out of action until the spring and won't be back until the autumn now. "It was a small injury but it's enough to keep him out this winter." Mallowney was last seen when fifth in the Grade Two Clonmel Oil Steeplechase last month. January and February were lucrative for him as won a Grade A handicap chase at Fairyhouse and a Grade Two steeplechase at Naas by 17 lengths. Additional reporting by Gary Carson
