Tribal Path, red cap, is strongly pressed in Dundalk© Photo Healy Racing
Tribal Path supplemented his recent polytrack victory when gamely seeing off Captain Midnight in the seven furlong handicap at Dundalk.
The six-year-old gelding blasted away from the stalls to set the pace under Donagh O'Connor. Cappadocia and Derek McCormack got on terms with the leader around the bottom turn (over four furlongs out).
O'Connor started to exert his arms on Tribal Path as the leaders came into the home straight. Cappadocia began to backpedal as Tribal Path assumed the lead outside the two pole.
Tribal Path drifted right but kept finding for O'Connor as Pick Your Battle began to make headway into second a furlong and a half out. There wasn't much between the pair at the furlong pole as 3/1 favourite Captain Midnight came with a powerful run from third.
In the closing stages, it was Captain Midnight who strongly challenged Tribal Path but he couldn't quite reel in the winner who prevailed by a head at 7/2. The pair fought out a battle a length and a half in front of Sister Slew (10/1).
Successful handler Damian English said: "They didn't make it easy for him this week and came at him from the start.
“He's tough and hardy. I had a feeling he wouldn't get it his own way and credit to him he put his head down and battled.
“He'll have to step up in grade now, out of the 0-65s, and we'll see what the handicapper does. He'll have a week off now.”
Tribal Path won over course and distance two weeks ago. He wen up 9lbs for that victory.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
