Falak followed up on a course and distance win from his last appearance in January to take the HOLLYWOODBETS HORSE RACING AND SPORTS BETTING Handicap at Dundalk. Nightly Wailing gave honest chase to the line but the John McConnell-trained and Siobhan Rutledge-ridden Falak was always getting the best of this, once heading front-runner Happy Lad over a furlong out.

Falak accounted for Nightly Wailing by a length and a quarter. Favourite No Thanks could manage only fourth place.

“When he's right he's not a bad horse,” said McConnell.

“He's come down the ratings and with Siobhan's claim he was back to what he won off the last day so we were confident enough that he'd run a big race.

“It's just been about patience and getting his confidence. He had a few little issues but we sorted them out and I'm delighted.

“He might go back jumping and could end up in Galway for the two-mile handicap there. The owners like to go there.”

W.M. Lordan, rider of Last Judgment trained by Daniel William O'Sullivan, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount lost his action behind turning in but returned sound.

(GC & EM)