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Gary Carson

Gary Carson

Icon looks smart as Smullen doubles up

Wed 4th Oct 2017, 16:45

London IconLondon Icon
© Photo Healy Racing

London Icon justified his short price when producing a powerful front-running performance in the median auction maiden at Naas.

Pat Smullen moved back to within four of Colin Keane when partnering his second winner of the day aboard the 9/10 favourite (11/8 this morning).

The Adrian Keatley-trained colt was soon in front in the mile contest and was asked to quicken a furlong-and-a-half from home. He stayed on strongly in the closing stages for a three-and-a-quarter-length win over Night Of Power

The winner had shaped with plenty of promise when third in a good Curragh maiden in mid-August.

"He's a fair horse and we think a lot of him, and have done since the spring. Thank God he's repaying the faith we've had in him from day one,” said Keatley.

"Whether he runs again this year I don't know. There is a Group 3 (Killavullan Stakes) at Leopardstown. Pat thought he'd be better on a bit of nicer ground, and felt he didn't get to hit top gear with him there today on that ground.

"He'll definitely make the winter a bit shorter. We have been patient all the way through as he's a big scopey horse and we weren't going to be rushing him anyhow."

(Quotes by Alan Magee)

1st
9/10Fav
Tote €1.80 €1.02
2nd
3.25L
9/2
€2.00
3rd
2.25L
40/1
€29.00
4th
nk
25/1
About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.