Hello Man a very popular winner at Listowel

The Listowel grouping, the Lehaghaidhanspraoi (translated as on with the party) Partnership had a dream come through when their Hello Man landed the John & Terry Moriarty Memorial Handicap to credit Gary Carroll with a double. The champion apprentice had half an hour previously partnered Beauty Express to victory.

Hello Man might have been easy enough to back in his bid to defy top-weight and follow-up his Laytown win (that was Shane Duffy's first winner as a trainer on the racecourse proper) but he put aside fears about the suitability of the ground to slam the fast-finishing Ted Dolly by three lengths.

Carroll commented: "We were worried about the ground as all his form is on fast ground. It is yielding and tacky there but he got through it well."

Meanwhile successful trainer Shane Duffy remarked: "He handled the ground well as we were worried it mightn't suit. We are mainly a point-to-point yard and this fella has won two races for us now."