Carrigeen Prince strikes again on the sand

Carrigeen Prince made it two wins from his last three starts at Dundalk when taking division two of the Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Handicap.

The Garvan Donnelly-trained gelding led over a furlong out, and kept on well under Donagh O’Connor to score by a length and a quarter at odds of 8/1. Paved With Gold who was all the rage this morning when backed from 7/1 into 5/2 and was eventually sent off at 3/1, came from off the pace on the outer to take the runner-up spot. Super Focus came up a bit short in her bid for a hat-trick, with the 5/2 favourite keeping on one paced another two lengths adrift in third.

Donnelly said, "“We’ve always thought he was a decent enough horse. I never thought he’d handle the all-weather but he seems to be handling it really well.

"He wants to be stepped up to a mile-and-a-quarter but I just thought he could win another mile race before we do that.

“I think he will be better on the grass and better with a bit of ease in the ground. He’s a big baby, he’s a four-year-old and I’m hoping he’s progressive.

“He is a character and it took a lot to get him right. That’s why he is a late developer - he’s late because we had problems.

“He has plenty of ability if we can keep on the right side of his mind.”

GC & AM)