Having gone into the contest as a 17-race maiden, the Luke Comer trained Bright Dick finally lost that unwanted title when running out a game winner of Division l of the Gateway Hotel Dundalk Race & Stay Apprentice Handicap.

Held up in mid division in the early stages, as Silver Nemo led the field along out in front, the four-year-old had to be pushed along to hold his position at halfway but responded well to the urgings of rider Jack Kearney to remain in contention turning for home.

Silver Nemo gave best to Super Cub over a furlong out but Bright Dick emerged down the inner with a strong challenge to head the last named horse inside the last 150 yards.

Staying on strongly to the line, the colt went away to record a deserved first success by one-and-a-quarter lengths from Super Cub, with Hale Bopp back in third.

Assistant trainer Jim Gorman said: "He has been knocking on the door a long time.

"In fairness, Nathan Crosse jumped off him the last day and he said it was just too short and to bring him to a mile and he would win his next start. He was right."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham.