An excellent card from Dundalk on Friday featuring the BAR 1 Betting Mercury Stakes (Group 3) over five furlongs.
FRIDAY’S DUNDALK TIPS
- 17:15 Near Perfection
- 17:45 Rappell
- 18:15 Boston Max
- 18:45 Lake Lugano
- 19:15 Washington Heights
- 19:45 Final Ascent
- 20:15 Sakoku
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17:15 7f Book Online At DundalkStadium.com Fillies Optional Claiming Race (3yo+)
Donnacha O’Brien and Paddy Harnett team up with NEAR PERFECTION, and this filly caught the eye at this venue when last seen three weeks ago. She finished third behind Elanor Shelby and Purely, and both other fillies will re-oppose. She looked like she was learning on the job all the way up the straight and was pushed along in fifth over two furlongs down, but stuck to her job all the way up the straight. With that experience behind her, she could reverse the form this time around.
Selection: Near Perfection
17:45 7f Halloween Mid-Term Racing Next Week Apprentice Handicap (3yo+)
Nina Doherty and Paul Flynn team up with RAPPELL here, and this runner has shown some consistent form in the last three starts. The draw in fourteen here hasn’t been kind, but this runner was towards the rear two weeks ago before keeping on to go second close home. That was off a mark of 64, but Nina takes a valuable seven pounds off his back and brings the mark down to 57. He is attractively handicapped based on a course win of 68 in September 2025.
Selection: Rappell
18:15 6f Braham Electrical Handicap (3yo+ 0-60)
It could be a quick double on the card for the Dingle Pony Racing Champion from this year, as Nina Doherty is back aboard BOSTON MAX for Gordon Elliott. The pair teamed up to be touched off close to home last week, and connections have opted to add cheekpieces to the tongue strap for the first time. He raced wide early from stall 13 and led narrowly inside the final furlong before being nabbed on the winning line. The draw is better this week in stall nine, and Nina might be able to slot in and get a position before coming home with the customary late run.
Selection: Boston Max
18:45 5f Fastfix Quay Celtic 60th Anniversary Nursery Handicap (2yo)
LAKE LUGANO is another from the fixture last week who is back to the Louth venue, looking to go one place better. He would have traded a very short price in-running, having been clear up the straight before wilting close home and beaten half a length behind Heart Of You. The handicapper nudged him up three pounds, and Jack Cleary will take five off his back, so he is effectively two pounds well in at the weights. The draw in stall three will suit his prominent race style, and a reproduction of last week’s effort should be more than enough.
Selection: Lake Lugano
19:15 5f BAR 1 Betting Mercury Stakes (Group 3) (2yo+)
The feature on the evening, and there is every chance that this prize will go for export, as WASHINGTON HEIGHTS will represent Kevin Ryan and Shane Gray. A six-year-old who has won five times from thirty-two starts and finished third at Bro Park in Sweden when last seen. He was a listed winner at Carlisle in May, but the one small negative is that he has never run on the all-weather. Most of his form is on a quick surface, so you would think Dundalk should suit him perfectly. He is the highest-rated runner in the field and is drawn nicely in stall three.
Selection: Washington Heights
19:45 1m Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden (Smullen Series) (2yo)
The penultimate race on the card could be a double for the Donnacha O’Brien team with FINAL ASCENT, who has blinkers applied for the first time following a fourth-placed finish at this venue two weeks ago. The Pipeman was an impressive winner of the race, but they were bunched in behind for the places, and Final Ascent was ridden in sixth a furlong from home stayed on nicely in the end. He was learning all the time, and if the blinkers sharpen him up, then he should go close on second start.
Selection: Final Ascent
20:15 1m2½f (1m2f150y) Des Byrne Memorial Maiden (3yo+)
Johnny Murtagh has his team in excellent form over the last couple of weeks, and Ben Coen will get aboard SAKOKU in the Newton Anner Stud Farm colours. This filly has finished second in two of her last four starts. She finished second to Handani in a big field maiden at Navan on 5th September. That form would work out well when Handani followed up at Listowel on her next start. On ratings, she doesn’t have much to find some of the others in the race and should go close with luck in running.
Selection: Sakoku
DUNDALK TIPS
- 17:15 Near Perfection
- 17:45 Rappell
- 18:15 Boston Max
- 18:45 Lake Lugano
- 19:15 Washington Heights
- 19:45 Final Ascent
- 20:15 Sakoku
