Captain Carleton clears the last under Sean Flanagan© Photo Healy Racing
After going close on numerous occasions in maidens Captain Carleton got off the mark on his first try in handicap company as he ran out a comfortable winner of the Ticket Sales Online Handicap Hurdle.
Trained in Kildare by Wexford man Cormac Farrell and ridden by fellow county man Sean Flanagan, the five-year-old son of Artan was friendless with punters and having opened at 13/2 this morning he was returned an 11/1 chance.
Settled in mid-division he made progress into fourth before the straight. He was ridden to lead before the last and he kept on well on the run-in, going on to score cosily by four lengths. Snapchat ran on to finish second at 10/1 under Katie O’Farrell for John ‘Shark’ Hanlon while Bank The Bucks who was sent off the 11/4 favourite (backed from 3/1), was a further three and three parts of a length back in third under Shane Shortall for Finbar Hand.
Cormac Farrell said afterwards: "It is a deserved win and especially for the owners, Martin and Maureen Flinters, who are fantastic owners.
"I had a 2yo maiden winner a few weeks ago (Manny Owens at Dundalk). Most of the 2yos are gone out now and I have seven mainly younger horses for the winter."
STEWARDS REPORT
D.N. Russell, rider of Just For Joe trained by Mrs Hannah Lee, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount made a respiratory noise in running.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
