Intense Starlet gives McCarthy first Flat winner

Intense Starlet s first run for Eoin McCarthy reaped immediate dividends as she landed Listowel's mile handicap at 20/1.

On her last start for Thomas O'Connor she finished 10th of 14 at Dundalk in November albeit beaten less than six lengths.

She broke well for Nathan Crosse in this assignment and was soon at the head of affairs along the rail.

There were plenty of horses within striking distance racing towards the final quarter of a mile, though. Ice Storm was ridden to challenge in the final furlong but Crosse was last to go for the whip and his mount stuck to her task well in the final 150 yards.

She kept on best in the latter stages to pull the victory out by half a length.

Ice Storm had to settle for a runner-up prize at 12/1 with No Way Jack half a length further away at 11/1.

Eoin McCarthy said: "She was only beaten 11 lengths in a Listed race last year (over 5f) so you'd be hoping she'd win from a rating of 42.

"Today was her first run for me and she had won twice in England in the past and I felt, reading her pedigree, she'd stay the mile today and she is out of a good German family.

"It was very hard to get any anyone to do the weight today but I was delighted to get Nathan. I was looking to get a full professional jockey but they were all gone and I'd seen Nathan doing the pony racing and he was a good rider.

"That's my first Flat winner. I've six horses for the summer and she'll go for another handicap next." Verse Of Love the 5/1 favourite, never landed a blow and came home second-last of the 15 runners.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes