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Gary Carson

Gary Carson

Perseverance pays off with Lispopple

Mon 30th Sep 2024, 16:17

Lispopple and Brian Hayes (far side) win from Bowgate Street (nearest) and Doonbeg Don (centre)Lispopple and Brian Hayes (far side) win from Bowgate Street (nearest) and Doonbeg Don (centre)
© Photo Healy Racing

Lispopple repaid the faith shown in him by owner Michael Fagan when claiming the second division of the 80-95 handicap hurdle at Roscommon.

The Philip Fenton-trained gelding had been well beaten on his most recent outing at Wexford and went to post a 22/1 shot in the two-and-a-half mile contest.

Brian Hayes produced his mount to dispute over the third last and he got to the front on the run-in, pulling away late on for a five-and-a-half length win.

“Perseverance was the answer here. I wanted to sell him after his last run and we had a buyer in the yard but Michael (Fagan) rang me to say we'll give him one more go,” said Fenton.

“He jumped better today and he's just grown up a bit. He's like a horse that could win again, he won so well.

“He handles the soft ground, he was fourth one day in Naas in a big field on heavy ground.

“When the rain came we said it might improve his chances. We would have been satisfied with a place.

“He'll get a break at some point but I'd say we'll go for another handicap in the next three or four weeks.”

About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.