First winner for teenager Keane

There was plenty of reason for Meath trainer Gerry Keane to celebrate the final action of the flat season at Dundalk on Friday night. Apart from finishing the flat campaign on a winning note, he was able to welcome back his son, Colin, into the winners' enclosure for the first time when No Trimmings won a handicap. The former pony racing champion was recording his first winner under rules and gave No Trimmings a well-judged ride to win by length from Via Mia which was ridden by champion apprentice Gary Carroll. The 16-year-old was having just his seventh ride on the track and, according to his father, his 10-pound claim was useful in reducing the weight on the four-year-old which was winning for the first time in over a year. The teenager has ridden 85 winners on the pony racing circuit. Stamullen father and son duo, Peter and Oliver Casey were also on the mark when they were successful with Try Freedom in a handicap. The five-year-old gelding made headway on the far rail to lead two furlongs out, and kept on well to beat Chaparro by two lengths. The race for the apprentice title race provided great drama on Friday night when there was a three-way tie between Carroll, Ben Curtis and Joseph O'Brien. Carroll lookied like he would claim the title in the final race of the season on board the Noel Meade-trained Dark Prospect, but another Meath trainer, Eddie Lynam, spoiled that potential party when Denny Crane snatched victory in the final strides.all season but the most exciting chapter was left for the very final race of the season as Gary Carroll on Dark Prospect was denied the championship outright in the final strides. Johnny Murtagh made a successful return to action when steering Sports Casual to a convincing victory in a handicap. The 2009 champion jockey missed the last few Dundalk meetings as he was at a jockeys challenge in Hong Kong. Murtagh ended the season on 87 winners, only six less than when he won the title 12 months ago. Offaly man Pat Smullen took the laurels with Fran Berry in second place and Murtagh in third. Gordon Elliott's Chicago Grey and Paul Carberry finished second to the unbeaten Time For Rupert at Cleltenham on Saturday where Barry Geraghty won the last race on the card, a novice hurdle, with Mossley. Robbie Power, who will be boxing for the Meath footballers next week against Davy Condon, was on the mark at Cork on Sunday with Osirixamix for Tony Martin. However, he was banned on Monday, along with Davy Russell, after the stewards launched an enquiry into the start of the maiden hurdle. Crude (Russell) and Stop At Nothing (Power) took no part after being held back as both riders appeared to anticipate a false start. A stewards enquiry was called into the starting procedure, and the stewards judged that it was a fair start. There was better luck for Robbie Colgan who was on the mark with Foildubh in the opening race.