Follow The Crowd wins under confident Mark Walsh ride

Mark Walsh rode the perfect waiting race before producing favourite Follow The Crowd to win the Connaughton Auctioneers Handicap Chase at Roscommon.

The Aidan Howard trained seven-year-old was making up for a last fence fall at Wexford last time, when appearing to have every chance.

Walsh, at pains not to get there too soon, tracked the leaders into the straight but could be noted travelling easily. He moved second after jumping the penultimate fence but delayed his challenge to leader Krujers Girl until just before the last.

A slow jump at that obstacle briefly allowed the runner-up back into contention but Walsh had enough horse underneath him to go on again.

“He deserved that. He liked Roscommon, it's a nice galloping track,” said Howard.

“He jumped well, he was wrong at the last and could have thrown it away but he did it well.

“Hopefully he can win another little one.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson