One after another Michael Halford's three runners have hit the bulls-eye at Dundalk. Ahlan Bil Zain brought up the 100/1 hat-trick in division two of the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap.

Ronan Whelan rode the earlier Copper Beech Stables winners, Playa Del Puente and Luna's Luck but it was apprentice Ben Coen that was aboard Ahlan Bil Zain.

He got the Elusive City gelding home by a neck and a head from Focus Of Attention and Dandys Gold

"He'd a lovely run here the last time. The strong pace suited him and Ben was very good on him. He's great value for his claim," said Halford.

"He grinded it out well. He likes that surface and we'll keep him going up here.

"We've had a quiet year by our standards and it's nice when they start to hit form. We had a lot of horses that were exposed in the handicap."

(AM & EM)