First winner for Levins as Carroll doubles up

Johnny Levins, who tasted plenty of success in the saddle, recorded his first win in the training ranks as his Jumbo Steps ran out a game victor of the Follow Fairyhouse On Twitter Handicap, providing his rider Gary Carroll with a double on the card.

Formerly trained by Tim Doyle, the six-year-old son of Footstepsinthesand was making his debut for Levins this evening and on his twenty-four start, he was finally getting off the mark.

Sent off at 9/1, the Seamus Mannion owned gelding, made all, coming home a length and a quarter too good for the Peter Fahey trained Right Divine who kept on well to take second at 25/1 under Ronan Whelan. Samollie was a further three parts of a length back in third at 9/2 under Shane Foley for Garvan Donnelly, while the 9/4 favourite Smoke Charger could only manage fifth under Colm O’Donoghue for Paul Deegan.

Levins, who is thirty-two, said afterwards; "I'm training on the Curragh and I only have my licence a few weeks.

"All credit goes to Gary (Carroll) really. He rides work for me every Friday and he was really sweet on him.

"I’m only learning about this horse as I haven’t had him for too long but he has been working very well.

"He is entered up over the weekend (Limerick on Saturday and Cork on Sunday) and I might run him again.

"I’m delighted for his owner Seamus Mannion. He was a great supporter of mine in my riding days and he has a couple of nice horses with me."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee