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'She has threatened to do that' - Neptune Rock pounces late to land Listed prize

Neptune Rock (left) times it right under Shane Crosse to land the Listed Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes
Neptune Rock (left) times it right under Shane Crosse to land the Listed Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel StakesCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Tuesday: Listowel

Shane Crosse is a jockey worth following at Listowel, and the 2018 champion apprentice came good again when landing the feature race on the Joseph O'Brien-trained Neptune Rock.

Crosse brought the 9-1 shot with a powerful run on the wide outside to land the Listed Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes in the last stride.

It was not a route without its troubles either as Crosse was thrown wider than ideal, and then well inside the final furlong he suffered a bump from runner-up Venice Biennale, but such was his momentum it made little difference.

The daughter of Muhaarar has been a little frustrating, with just a Leopardstown maiden victory to her credit last year, but everything fell right this time. Assistant trainer Brendan Powell said: "She finishes well and has threatened to do that, but when she went wide off the bend I thought it was going to be hard to make up the ground."

He added: "Shane said even though he was so wide, it was a reasonably uncomplicated run up the straight. To come wide like that was still a hell of a performance. She's a genuine filly and has her black type now."

Carroll in command

Gambe Veloci was sent off 4-9 favourite for the 7f maiden but proved a major disappointment behind all-the-way winner Prophets Voice.

The victory was the first leg of a treble for jockey Gary Carroll, and was also initiating a double for trainer Joe Murphy.

Prophets Voice scored by an easy three lengths in first-time blinkers, and Carroll said: "He's still a big baby. He would spot a spider on the gallops – he just looks at everything!

"We stuck the blinkers on him to sharpen him up and to keep him concentrating, and they worked.

"We thought he would do something like that, we just didn't think it would take this long – he will be a better four-year-old."

Earls (blue and yellow) brings up a treble for jockey Gary Carroll when landing the mile handicap at Listowel
Earls (blue and yellow) brings up a treble for jockey Gary Carroll when landing the mile handicap at ListowelCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Murphy and Carroll completed their doubles when Lord Massasus landed an eventful nursery.

The drama came when favourite Tiymara stumbled and fell before the turn into the straight. It looked an extremely nasty incident but the filly got up straight away, and rider Ben Coen walked back to the ambulance after being on the turf for a few minutes.

Carroll took command early in the straight on Lord Massasus, and the gelded son of Markaz kept galloping to the line to score by two and a half lengths.

The rider said: "He was very straightforward. He travelled nicely and took me into the race. He was still plenty green, but when I gave him a squeeze he picked up well. He won with a bit in hand and hopefully he can keep improving."

Carroll brought up a 121-1 treble when getting the Gavin Cromwell-trained Earls up on the line in the mile handicap.


Results, replays and analysis


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Published on 20 September 2022inReports

Last updated 17:55, 21 September 2022

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