Joseph O'Brien looked like he'd given the heavily-backed Flavia Tatiana (4/1 this morning into 6/4) a perfect ride in the www.dundalkstadium.com Handicap but that daughter of Holy Roman Emperor couldn't sustain her effort and Gary Halpin got off the mark on only his third ride on the gritty Master Melody

Flavia Tatiana travelled well and looked like she'd go on about her business when taking over from the furlong pole but Halpin wasn't found wanting aboard the twelve times previously raced maiden. Master Melody stuck his head out and galloped on well to win by three parts of a length.

Halpin is from Blanchardstown in Dublin and he is seventeen. He has been with Master Melody's trainer Kevin Prendergast for nearly a year and he'd ridden the same horse to be runner-up here on November 18th. His only other ride was for John Geoghegan here last week, on the also-ran, Private Ryan. (GC & EM)