Drombeg Duke up and running for McCarthy

Drombeg Duke routed his rivals on his second start since switching to trainer Eoin McCarthy.

From as big as 8/1 in the morning, he was supported down to 10/3 favourite for the second split of the Rose Hotel Handicap over seven furlongs.

Gavin Ryan had him close to the pace throughout before the pair improved from third to lead off the home bend.

Drombeg Duke was ridden clear inside the final furlong and absolutely powered away from toiling rivals to win by a more than healthy six and a half lengths. Talking Tough came through for second at 6/1 and was half a length in front of Sahreej (18/1).

McCarthy said: "Austin (Leahy) did a great job with him and maybe the change in scenery sparked him up again. He had a lovely run for us and I though he was tailor-made for this track and trip.

"He is a lovely straightforward horse, I worried that stall 15 would be our undoing but he jumped smarter than I thought he would and he was in the box seat and it looked straightforward from where I was looking.

"We did an interview a week ago for the Listowel Racecourse and tipped him up so I think plenty of the locals took our advice by the sounds of it there!"

Drombeg Duke won twice over seven furlongs for his former trainer Augustine Leahy.

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes