Review dundalk 21st Oct

< Nocturnal Affair got back to winning ways with a battling performance to land the Listed Mercury Stakes at Dundalk.

David Marnane's Portland winner was a close fifth on his last start at York but back to the minimum trip he travelled supremely well, taking up the running from Bannock a furlong out.< Breathless Kiss produced a strong late surge down the outside, but Nocturnal Affair (5-2) had enough in hand to be able to record a half-length victory under Colm O'Donoghue.< Miranda's Girl wore down Hurricane Havoc to cause a huge upset in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Race.

5-2 favourite Hurricane Havoc was always prominent and appeared to have fended off all challengers, before Rory Cleary unleashed Miranda's Girl out wide.

The 33-1 chance had to battle hard in the closing stages as the favourite gave no quarter, but she got on top in the closing stages and had a neck in hand at the line.

The Dundalk Stadium On Facebook Handicap produced a tremendous finish as dead-heaters Flic Flac and Sunset Beauty headed a four-way charge to the line.

Dermot Weld's Flic Flac (6-1) led narrowly at the furlong pole but could not quite hold off the late challenges, and ended up having to share the spoils with the Pat Smullen-ridden Sunset Beauty (6-1).

Smullen added an outright win in the Group Discounts At Dundalk Nursery Handicap when She's My Dandy (10-1) held off the late charge of The Kernigal to score by a short head.

Gary Carroll landed the spoils in division one of the www.dundalkstadium.com Apprentice Handicap when guiding 12-1 chance Eastern Rules to a three-quarters of a length victory over favourite Homebrew

The second division went the way of Ashton Rose (4-1), who made it two on the bounce at the track when edging out Overnova by a neck under Ronan Whelan.