Row leaves it late at Listowel

Canary Row flashed home in the closing stages to grab victory on the line in the Bank Of Ireland Handicap at Listowel. Tribal Path took them along in the seven-furlong contest and had his rivals hard at work turning for home. The Moore Factor tried hard to wear him down inside the final furlong and though he just about got there in the dying strides he was trumped by the fast finishing Canary Row on the outer.

The Patrick Prendergast-trained gelding had been driven along in mid-division early in the straight but really got going, under Gary Halpin, in the closing stages for his last gasp head success.

Canary Row hadn't been beaten far when eighth in the Irish Cambridgeshire at the Curragh on his last outing.

"Gary said to be that there would have been a serious row if he'd have been beaten as he was so far back turning in!” said Prendergast.

"He is very consistent but was unlucky the last day when the leather came undone in the Cambridgeshire.

"He was due his turn but had been placed an awful lot and that's only his third win. He is a very handsome horse, was a good two year old but was stuck in the 90s. He loves the bad ground and we'll probably have a wet autumn so we'll try to find another race."

5/2 favourite Valentana never got involved and eventually finished eighth.

(Quotes by Thomas Weekes)