Praying Mantis forges on© Photo Healy Racing
Trainer Andrew Kinirons saddled the winners of both divisions of the mile handicap in Listowel when Praying Mantis hacked up in the second split.
The 9/2 favourite was always in the box seat behind pace-setting Colonel Slade
Mikey Sheehy asked him to take aim at the leader a furlong and a half out and the response was instant. The four-year-old filly shot clear arriving at the furlong pole and kept up the gallop.
She took the honours by two and a quarter lengths from 5/1 Crystal Pool There was a further gap of three and a half lengths back to Ask Delaney (11/1).
Kinirons said: "This is my new favourite track! I rode a double in a point-to-point but that is my first racecourse double - I hardly ever have two runners.
"She won well in Gowran and it was a write-off the last day as she jumped a bit quick, was keen and got struck into. It was also the wrong thing to do stepping her up in trip and she did everything right today and another top young lad was riding.
"She is a filly on the up, and is in again at Cork on Wednesday, so hopefully they'll divide it as both her and (earlier division winner) Mary Salome are getting in.
"We have a lovely team coming up, we have 20 horses and while we have a handful of jumpers, 90 per cent are for the flat. We are always looking for more horses."
Kinirons took the first division with well backed 2/1 favourite Mary Salome, ridden by Luke McAteer.
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
