Zarenakarena enjoys conditions in Roscommon Zarenakarena popped up at 16/1 in the first divide of the Roscommon Racecourse On Facebook Handicap over an extended seven-furlongs. It was all change approaching the final furlong as the pace collapsed and Dark Willow came through to lead narrowly from a staying-on Zarenakarena. The rivals were wide apart and it was Zarenakarena who claimed Dark Willow in the closing stages, and she was kept up to her work to win by a length and a quarter from the 40/1 runner-up. Another longshot, Kayamite, rounded out the placings in third at 66/1 for a whopping Tricast of €34039.47. Patrick Harty said: “I’m delighted for Eamon (Crawford, owner). He’s been lucky with this family and she’s a half-sister to Areana. “She came into training very late, she only came in this year as a four-year-old for the first time, so it’s all been a bit new for her. “That’s the first time she’s been on soft ground and I think that was a big help. The penny is dropping. “She has plenty of size, the whole family do and I’d say the mare was very big. “Areana is very tall as well, but she’s a very different type of horse. Areana wants the ground like the road and I’d say it can’t get soft enough for her. “I’m delighted for Eamon who is here today. He’s from Donegal, but he’s never had a runner at Roscommon which is his second-closest track. “She’s in at the Curragh on Thursday but that’s very different ground, it’s good to yielding there. “I’ll have a look at the programme now. I had identified today’s race as the most suitable for her and hadn’t looked beyond it.” Additional reporting by Gary Carson
