Howd'yadoit sheds maiden tag under Gary Carroll Having been placed on all three previous starts, the Ger Lyons trained Howd'yadoit registered a first career success when staying on late under Gary Carroll to land the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Down Royal. Sent off 11/4 to open his account at the fourth attempt, the Nando Parrado colt tracked the early pace as Jack The Bachelor and Namiid vied for the lead. Having taken a wide route on the 9/4f, Chris Hayes led into the straight on Stephen Thorne's Jack The Bachelor. Gary Carroll switched Howd'yadoit to the outside over two furlongs from home, going third a furlong out. Ridden to go second 100 yards out, Carroll got to the lead inside the last 50 yards to score by one-and-a-quarter lengths. Assistant trainer Shane Lyons said: "We are delighted with that. He's a very consistent horse and we didn't think he was a five (furlong) horse through and through, but we stopped off here for five because he has experience in Down Royal which means an awful lot. It showed there. "It opens up the road to a nice nursery or whatever. He's genuine. "He actually looked impressive because he (Carroll) said it took him a bit of time to get going and, when he got going, he gave him a thump and he said he showed some turn of foot. "He liked the ground and he's ground versatile, he'll go on any ground. We are happy." Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
