Regally priced Carrow Queen on the money

“The price doesn’t matter to us!” said trainer Val O’Brien after Carrow Queen delivered a 25/1 shock in the three mile handicap hurdle in Limerick (paid €61.10 on the Tote).

Whether she would have won if Zekarya hadn’t fallen at the second last when looking poised to have a major say can be debated long and hard, but the facts are that Carrow Queen has that important win to her name.

Slippers Madden brought the five-year-old mare into contention at that second last flight. He got her head in front on the run-in and she saw it out well to score by three and a half lengths.

Val O’Brien said: “I was expecting a reasonable run. She had been disappointing since winning her bumper, but the steadier pace helped her. We’ll look for another three mile handicap hurdle in January.” Pencilhimin was second at 5/1 while 10/3 favourite Sword Fish was placed in third, beaten six and three quarter lengths by the winner.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes