Earls (purple and yellow) pounces late © Photo Healy Racing
After riding a double earlier, Gary Carroll told TV viewers he'd be coming as late as possible on the Gavin Cromwell-trained Earls in the concluding Listowel Arms Hotel Handicap and he certainly did that.
The in-form five-year-old stormed home down the outside to grab longtime leader Eastern Wind in the final strides. A head was the margin of victory with the same distance back to Onlyhuman in third. The winner was sent off 10/3 joint-favourite and was completing a hat-trick after two wins at Roscommon last month.
In a rough race, the other 10/3 joint favourite Plunkett was obne of the chief sufferers and got no run in the straight.
After wins on Joe Murphy's Prophets Voice (11/4) and Lord Massusus (13/2), Carroll was completing a treble which paid out at just under 121/1.
Carroll said: "he is a dinger of a horse, is as game as a pebble and when I got him out and going he really put the head down and galloped for me. He hit the line really well.
"He used to wear blinkers in the past but travelled too strong in his races whereas without them he is relaxing well. He is only winning by short margins so hopefully he's not finished winning and the handicapper can't kill him."
Quotes from Tom Weekes
