Carroll returns on Cromwell trained winner

Royal Ascot winner Gary Carroll returned from injury riding a winner in Fairyhouse's concluding Fairyhouse For Fundraisers Handicap (div II) today, appropriately scoring for trainer Gavin Cronwell on Li Mu Bai

Carroll received a concussion on his previous day's racing, at Naas a fortnight ago, when briefly knocked out in a pre-race fall from Holly Golightly and today returned, scoring on his third ride with Li Mu Bai, which beat runner-up Miss Florentine by a length.

Carroll and Cromwell combined for a famous Royal Ascot win in the Queen Mary Stakes with Quick Suzy last month and while Cromwell wasn't present today, Carroll later commented “he had a great run the last time. He’s a three-year-old so he’s still learning on the job.

“I thought they went a nice gallop and I was able to slot in behind them.

“I came around them up the straight. He’s still a bit green and ran away a bit left from other horses. I think he’ll improve a bit from it and is a grand handicapper going forward.”

Quotes from Alan Magee