On The Go Again justifies favouritism with strong run in Irish Lincolnshire

The well-backed On The Go Again justified 6-1 favouritism in the €100,000 Tote Irish Lincolnshire at Naas on Sunday, coming with a withering run under Gary Carroll to complete a fantastic Flat four-timer after three runs over hurdles.

County Meath trainer Michael Mulvany, whose seasonal scores have always been in single figures, was winning the biggest prize of his career with his stable star.

Saltonstall finished strongly down the outside for second, one and three-quarter lengths behind the winner, with Aussie Valentine – who finished second in the race in 2015, 2016 and again last year – two and a quarter lengths back in third.

Five-year-old On The Go Again, who last ran in a Grade 3 hurdle, had given Mulvany his previous biggest victory in the Lartigue Hurdle at the Listowel festival in September.

On The Go Again winning over hurdles at ListowelCredit: Patrick McCann

Mulvany revealed he had been toying with sending the winner, owned and bred by his father Larry, for the County Hurdle at Cheltenham.

"We were thinking of sending him there but we had a change of heart after talking to Gary Carroll, who said he'd love to ride him in this race, and to the handicapper Mark Bird," explained the trainer.

"It's a great result for us. Ours is basically a family operation but we have a couple of other staff in the yard who do a great job.

"We've no firm plans but he'll probably have another couple of races on the Flat followed by a break, and the Galway Hurdle will probably be his main summer target."

Gary Carroll recorded consecutive wins in the Irish Lincolnshire, as he won last year with Brendan Brackan (noseband)Credit: Patrick McCann

Carroll was winning the race for the second consecutive year having scored on Brendan Brackan 12 months ago.

He made the most of his rail-side draw in one and as the field swung off the bend, he delivered On The Go Again to master Aussie Valentine and clear away from Saltonstall to land a gamble. The horse was backed from 9-1 on course into clear favouritism.

Morning favourite Pincheck, trained by Jessica Harrington, finished fourth, unable to land a blow in what had been a steadily-run race until they turned into the home straight.

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