Empress Alma completes double for Cromwell

Empress Alma (5/1) made it three wins from her last four starts when claiming the concluding handicap at Thurles for Gavin Cromwell and Gary Carroll.

Fifth at the Galway festival in July after back-to-back wins earlier that month, the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor was returning from a break and stepping up to the two-mile trip for the first time.

Carroll tracked the front-running Building Bridges and, when that one hung left early in the straight, pushed his mount through to lead on the far rail over a furlong out. The winner soon seemed to have the race in safe keeping but Sir Allen who had raced towards the rear after missing the break, came home with a rattle and was only a neck adrift at the line.

The successful three-year-old is owned in partnership by Eoin Hughes, Carmel Yore, Darren Cahill and Kiva Cromwell and was completing a double for the winning trainer after new inmate Londonofficecallin s earlier victory.

"It was a nice effort and, off her mark, I thought there was more in her," reported Carroll.

"In fairness to Gavin, he freshened her up since Galway and she jumped, travelled and did everything right today. She stays well.

"I got there sooner than I would have liked and might have waited a little bit longer, but hopefully the handicapper isn't too hard on her and she can go in again."

Quotes from Tom Weekes