Kimbay overcame a wide draw in nine to win the opening Christmas Party Packages At Dundalk Stadium Handicap at Dundalk this evening, scoring a fourth win in five starts for trainer Noel Lawlor.

Ridden by Rory Cleary, the daughter of Windsor Knot was quickly away and raced prominently before taking the lead over a furlong out. From there Kimbay kept going for a three parts of a length win over Majestic Timeline

Afterwards Lawlor stated “the owner (William Hynes) was thinking about giving her a break but Rory said no, give her one more run, so all credit to him and it was a great ride by him. He rides her at home and it was his idea to come tonight.

“We might give her a little break now. She's tough but is only a pony and has the heart of a lion. She was unlucky the last day as in another five yards she would have caught the English horse.”

The win was Kimbay's fourth win in five starts for Lawlor, having been beaten just a short head on her other start for the trainer.

By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson