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Captain Joy out to lift spirits of connections at Dundalk

Captain Joy: chasing his 11th career win on Friday
Captain Joy: retired after winning ten timesCredit: Patrick McCann

There would be a poignant moment at Dundalk on Friday night should Tracey Collins's Captain Joy roll back the years in the first Fast-Track Qualifier of the year (6.30pm).

Captain Joy won 10 races for his late owner Herb Stanley, who passed away on January 3 aged 81.

Collins would love nothing more than her veteran to shine in a race he won 12 months ago, and said: "He seems very well and has a good draw in stall one."

She added: "He is getting that bit older now so we will see what happens tomorrow. If he runs well, we will make a decision about whether we continue or he retires.

"This will definitely be his last year so depending on tomorrow we will make up our minds about which way we are going.

"Mr Stanley was buried on Monday so it has been a sad week. Hopefully the horse can put up a good performance and it would be great if he can get his head in front."

There are some familiar faces in opposition, none more recognisable than Damian English and his stalwart Geological, who along with stablemate Twenty Minutes, tackles the mile contest.

Geological ran over the minimum trip last time but English is hopeful that a step back up a mile will bring out the best in the seven-year-old.

English said: “Geological can do it over any trip but his best run to date came when he won off 89 over a mile at Limerick so we’re looking forward to stepping him back up in trip. He’s in good form.

“Twenty Minutes is a classy, classy horse and he'd hammer Geological at home over any kind of trip but he's still big and raw. We're just hoping he picks up some prize-money and runs a good race.”

Step up in trip for Too Precious and Shadow Seven

Not many horses have lit up Dundalk quite like Too Precious (7.00) has this winter for Joseph O'Brien.

The four-year-old notched four wins on the bounce in November between 1m2f and 1m4f and climbed a whopping 32lb in the process.

Stablemate Shadow Seven doesn't have a bad record at Dundalk either. He recorded back-to-back wins over 1m4f and 1m2f in November, but like Too Precious, will be tackling two miles for the first time when contesting the €25,000 handicap.

O'Brien said: "Too Precious has been in great form but she's stepping up in trip, as is Shadow Seven, and that's a bit of an unknown. We're going to let them take their chance and hopefully they can run well.”


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Published on 10 January 2019inPreviews

Last updated 18:37, 11 January 2019

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