Raknah and Gary Carroll (red) lead home the Listed field© Photo Healy Racing
Gary Carroll shone on a front-runner again when getting Raknah home in the ArthurGuinness Irish EBF Corrib Stakes at Galway.
The jockey had struck 35 minutes earlier on Grey Leader and bounced out to make it again on the Jessica Harrington-trained filly in the Listed contest.
Carroll asked the 16/1 shot for an effort two furlongs from home and she went on from All Lies Ahead going go the furlong marker. Princess Child flashed home in the closing stages but Raknah had enough up her sleeve to hold on for a neck success.
The Blue Point filly was stepping out of handicap company and had an official rating of 82. It was a double on the card for Harrington, with Ashdale Bob winning over fences earlier, and she said:-
"She had a very good run in Ascot (when seventh in the Sandringham Stakes) but she surprised me today.
“It didn't work out for her at Gowran on her most recent run when Nathan (Crosse, jockey) got a terrible fall off her after the winning post.
"She was very good today, put her head down and while Gary said she was actually headed, she tried the whole way to the line.
"Kevin (Blessing, owner) bred her, sold her as a yearling and then bought her back at the July sales last year.
“I actually rang him this morning to say we wouldn't run her due to the ground but he said 'we're all down here so run her' - it just shows you that trainers know nothing!"
Carroll added:- “It was great, this filly has plenty of experience and I'd say the turning track on drying ground suited her.
“I got to do my own thing in front and to be fair to her she stuck her head out and rallied.
“It's very hard to peg them back on nice ground around here, it's worth five or six lengths to you. Thankfully we got it today and it worked out.
“I thought two out I was in trouble but she got a second wind when she hit that hill and she got up it well. She stuck her head out.
“Galway is a place we all love coming, for years, with the atmosphere and everything. It's just great to get good rides and ride winners around here.
“I've been lucky for Jessie and that's my second Listed winner for her since last year from a handful of rides. It's good to get on good horses when you can.”
(Additional reporting by Tom Weekes)
