Shoot To Kill and Donagh O'Connor© Photo Healy Racing
Having endured a frustrating start to his training career with a number of near misses in the opening weeks, a good day got even better for Stephen Thorne when Shoot To Kill provided him with a first career double in landing the DKITSU Race Day At Dundalk Handicap at Dundalk.
Off the mark with Sayifyouwill in the Claiming Race earlier in the afternoon, Thorne had plenty reason to smile after the Donagh O'Connor ridden Shoot To Kill quickly doubled his career tally.
An eight-time winner in Britain, including five times on the AW, the seven-year-old was registering a first success in this country.
Tracking the pace in third, O'Connor produced Shoot To Kill to head leader Mullacash Buzz over a furlong out, staying on strongly to win by three-quarters-of-a-length.
Stephen Thorne said: "It has been a great day, brilliant day. Thrilled to get going and a day I will never forget.
"The horse was good and Donagh was very good on him.
"We were drawn quite wide here the last night and things didn't really go well for us.
"He's been slipping down the weights. Threatened to win one this year, just hasn't fallen right for him.
"Inside draw there today, kept it very simple on him. It was the perfect set up.
"He has plenty of talent this horse, so I'm hoping that this will get confidence back into him. Hopefully, he will represent us well through the winter months.
"There's a lot of special people out there who wished me well and it is a proud day in my life, a new chapter in my life ready to begin.
"Half my life working in the industry and a lot of work and effort has gone into today. We are building for the future.
"To be a Shamrock Thoroughbreds horse, obviously something that I have put a lot of time and effort into. That's very special.
"Hopefully, the ball will get rolling."
Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
