Kingdom Calling and Richie Deegan (left) with Kazakh D'arthel© Photo Healy Racing
Kingdom Calling was the biggest-priced winner in the history of the Listowel festival today, landing the opening John Lynch Memorial Maiden Hurdle at 250-1, to the relief of his local trainer Eoin McCarthy.
A €3,500 yearling and owned by the Killarney Racing Syndicate, Kingdom Calling hadn't a prayer judging by his previous form but today improved from mid-field to challenge at the final flight, edging past Kazakh D'arthel on the run-in to score by a half-length.
It was jockey Richie Deegan's third win of the festival although Athea-based McCarthy was breaking his duck for the week and reported “this has got me out of a big hole and a few locals backed him.
“This week only three of our runners hadn't finished in the first six so that was good, although for us, it is the one week where that isn't enough. It is all about winners here so I'll take this.”
He added “I'm delighted as he had been making a fool out of me last year and is a lovely horse going forward and I think he will improve.
“We thought he was a bumper horse last year but he was running too keen and was petering out at the back-end of his races. The last day in Tramore, Philip Enright got him to relax, to breathe and do everything right but he thought mentally he was still childish.
“Richie (Deegan) got him to settle early on in today's race, crept into it although the race fell apart in front of him.”
