Kildare Horse Racing News: Gary Carroll's scintillating form continues at Listowel and Curragh

Gary Carroll was in scintillating form at Listowel on Tuesday, bagging a treble at the Harvest Festival.
Carroll got off the mark as Prophets Voice cantered to a three-length success for trainer Joe Murphy in the Jet, Peggy & Eamonn O’Carroll Maiden for colts and geldings over seven furlongs.

Lord Massusus was just as impressive for Carroll and Murphy when pulling away for a two-and-a-half-length success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Premier Nursery over a mile. Carroll then showed all his strength and sense of timing when just getting the Gavin Cromwell trained Earls up in the shadow of the post in the Listowel Arms Hotel Handicap, the 10/3 joint favourite scoring by a head with another head and neck separating second from fourth.

The admirable Mary Salome delivered for Andrew Kinirons in the Southern Milling & Paul & Vincent Handicap, hitting the line well under Billy Lee to score by half a length.

Earlier in the card, Chris Hayes galvanised the Dermot Weld-trained Tiverton to a belated success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

Willie McCreery didn’t have far to travel when bringing Life In Colour to Curragh Racecourse on Saturday and it meant he could enjoy a celebratory meal or tipple more quickly too as she landed the William Hill Lengthen Your Odds Maiden by a nose, with Rory Cleary in the saddle.

Johnny Murtagh is another local trainer and he would have enjoyed his double at HQ, stable jockey Ben Coen timing his run perfectly for Mile End to score in the Barberstown Castle Nursery Handicap, while high-flying Kildare town apprentice Jamie

Powell added another Curragh handicap to his resumé when bagging the William Hill Pick Your Winners Handicap on Half Nutz.
Dick Brabazon is another conditioner plying his trade on the plains and the permit holder displayed his prowess once more, as did the red-hot Gary Carroll.

The pair bagged the illustrious William Hill Joe McGrath Handicap with Gordon Bennett. Michael O’Callaghan is yet another locally-based trainer and his faith in Crypto Force was repaid as the 15/2 shot won the Group 2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford Stakes in convincing fashion under Colin Keane, to spark Classic dreams for the winter at least.

Maynooth trainer John Geoghegan sprang a surprise in the Tipperary Crystal Apprentice Handicap, as French Rescue reeled in long-time leader Star Of Cashel to prevail by a length and a quarter at odds of 80/1 under Tom Kiely Marshall. Michael Grassick linked up with Gavin Ryan to score in the opening William Hill Free Or 4 Irish EBF Maiden with Small Oasis.

Starry heavens
Jessica Harrington looks to have a promising filly on her hands after the resounding success of Starry Heavens in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden at Curragh on Sunday.

Shane Foley booted the Mastercrafstman filly to the front and that was critical according to the trainer, Starry Heavens relishing the freedom and galloping all the way to the line in the mile contest to prevail by four and a quarter lengths.
Lord Massusus followed up his Listowel victory earlier in the week with another at HQ on Sunday for jockey Gary Carroll in the Irish EBF Auction Series Race.

Though down a quarter of a mile to six furlongs and getting caught in a pocket, the Joe Murphy-trained gelding showed an impressive turn of foot to end up a ready length and a half winner.

Johnny Murtagh’s Devore won the William Hill Extra Place Nursery Handicap, getting up by a neck under Ben Coen.

Listowel double for Peter Fahey
Peter Fahey saddled a double at Listowel on Saturday, Ambitious Fellow surviving a poor jump at the last to rally under Sam Ewing and peg back Nos Na Gaoithe for a head triumph in the Allman Contracts Novice Hurdle.

Just over a half-hour later, Kevin Sexton was in the plate for the Monasterevin conditioner, and delivering Skippin Court to a one-and-three-quarter-length success in the MJ Carroll ARRO Handicap Hurdle.

Meanwhile Seamie Heffernan was the man to follow at Fairyhouse on Monday where he landed three winners for three different trainers.

The Kevin Coleman trained 10/1 chance Queens Command gave him his first success with a clear-cut win in the seven-furlong fillies’ maiden with the Adrian Murray-trained Beautiful Sunshine taking the fillies’ handicap over the same distance.

The treble was completed as the Keith Watson-trained Pillar took the six-furlong handicap, the 22/1 shot scoring by a shorhead in the well-known Sean Gallagher colours