Earls gets his conditions at a track he loves Gavin Cromwell's Earls is now three from four in Roscommon after making most in the Lidan Handicap over an extended seven-furlongs. He raced just off Rhythm King and picked it up after a furlong and a-half. The eight-year-old gelding travelled well for Gary Carroll into the straight and the jockey rode him for home two furlongs down. The field were off the bridle in behind and Earls galloped on relentlessly to score by a length and a-half at 9/1. Counterculture attracted support on her return to action and took the runner-up berth at 8/1. Greatest Drama was just under two lengths further back at 10/1. Troy Cullen, race planner for Cromwell, said:- “He loves that ground. He had two runs earlier in the year and we thought he was coming to himself, but the ground was good on those days. “Since Galway, we’ve been waiting for a bit of soft ground for him - the softer it is the better. “When I was coming down the road, and could see the floods the whole way, I was thinking we could be in business here today. “Martin (Sheridan, owner) has been a big supporter of the yard and it’s great for him to have a horse like this. “He’s getting a bit older and I was thinking ‘does he still have it?’. It’s great to see him bounce back there. “He’s been a good servant. He won a big handicap in Haydock last year and the year before he won a premier handicap in Cork. Soft ground is the key to him. “We’ll see what the handicapper does and try and find something similar. It’s his time of the year now and hopefully he can go in again.” This was Earls' 11th career success on his 55th outing which is a notable strike rate of 20 per cent. Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
