Carpet has Farrell and McCormack happy

Derek McCormack could so easily have ridden a huge-priced double at Tipperary as half-an-hour after being beaten a length and a half on 33/1 shot, Cardinal Place, the 5Ib claimer, who has overcome serious difficulties, triumphed on a 20/1 chance in Carpet Elegance in the TipperaryRaces.ie Handicap.

With the market fancies under-performing in this extended mile and a half contest it was left to the Thomas Farrell owned and trained Carpet Elegance to see off the strongly finishing 25/1 hope, Table Forty Six with Gabh Mo Leithsceal (14/1) taking the third spot. A tricast placed in a betting shop showed a dividend of 7,104.16.

Farrell said: "He's my first runner on the flat and he won a hurdle for me before (Down Royal early last month).

"I have a licence three years and I've not had many runners. I've three horses and I'm on the edge of the Curragh.

"This fellow will mix it between the flat and hurdles and we'll tip away with him in this grade. I've had a few point-to-point winners too." (TW & EM)