GARY Carroll is enjoying his best ever season and the former champion apprentice moved onto the 50-winner mark for the campaign when successful aboard Grey Leader in the Bennettsbridge Rated Race.

The Tony Auld-owned gelding faced just four rivals in this mile event but the small field split in the straight and the 10/3 chance stretched clear on the far rail inside the final furlong to beat Machnamh, who came over to the stands’ side, by three and three-quarter lengths.

Grey Leader has won three of his five starts and trainer Joe Murphy commented: “He’s a very honest horse. He probably wasn’t in love with the ground (officially heavy) but that’s the type of horse he is - workmanlike and does a good job.

“I don’t know what calibre of race it was but he’s a horse that we like a lot. I’d say that will be it for the year. He’s in the sales but whether he goes or not I’m not sure.”

One better

Machnamh’s connections went one better in the Kilkenny Nursery with the front-running Expecto (7/1).

The daughter of Profitable, trained by Jim Bolger for his wife Jackie, shrugging off the challenge of 11/8 favourite Tatum before holding the late surge of La Juliana by a neck.

“She’s very tough and very genuine, and the step up today in trip was a help,” said winning jockey Rory Cleary. “I kept it simple and rode her very positive, and to be fair she was good and honest and stayed going to the line for me. She’s very versatile ground wise.”

However, the stewards took a dim view of Cleary’s ride giving him an eight-day suspension for using his whip with excessive frequency.

RHYTHM King (5/1) once again showed his liking for testing conditions when getting the better of Excuzio Joe inside the final furlong for a two-length success under Gavin Ryan in the opening Goresbridge Handicap.

“He’s done it well and Gavin gave him a great ride. He really is a conditions horse and shows his true form on heavy ground.

“He’s done that three times now and there might be something for him, maybe in Galway, before the end of the season as long as the rain keeps coming,” said Mark Fahey, who trains the Elzaam gelding for owner/breeders Andrew and Claire Lennon.

The combination of a step up to an extended nine furlongs and the first time on this ground proved just the trick for the Peter Chu-owned Highland Rahy (3/1), who was prominent throughout and drew right away under Joey Sheridan inside the final furlong to beat Toll Stone by all of eight and a half lengths in the Thomastown Maiden.

“He jumped well as he always does and Fozzy (Stack) said to ride him straightforward. He seemed to enjoy that ground and relished a step up in trip It’s proper deep ground and probably the heaviest I’ve ridden on all year,” said Sheridan.

“I was a bit disappointed the last day in Navan but he’s made up for it today. It’s taken all year for him to fill into his frame,” said Mulvany.

“He’s entered here again tomorrow and hopefully he eats up well and we’ll run him again when he’s fit and well.” The grey son of Tough As Nails duly followed up 24 hours later under a 7lb penalty.

Tim Doyle has his dual-purpose team in great order at present and Lisabetta (12/1) kept up the good work when taking division two of the extended nine-furlong handicap.

The five-year-old mare finished strongly between horses for Wayne Hassett to beat Patrick Street by a length and three quarters.

“I know we were making excuses but she’s been unlucky all year running into trouble. She’s always slow away and so she has to weave her way through. We ran her over a bit further today and it’s just given her a chance to get into it and she’s come home well,” said the Thurles trainer.

Best total

“That’s 18 now for the year between jumps and flat and it’s getting near our best total but our strike--rate this year is way ahead of any other year.”

Ellaat recorded his sixth career win but first since joining Charles Byrnes this year when keeping on well under pressure for Sean Davis to beat Fair Damsel by three quarters of a length in the mile and a half Join The Gowran Park Racing Club Handicap.

“He ran well over hurdles in Listowel and the ground is the key to him, he loves that ground. We thought it was plenty short today but the ground made up for it,” said Byrnes, who trains the 4/1 winner for his son Cathal.

“He can go back over hurdles but wouldn’t want winter heavy. He’s in again as a reserve at Navan on Wednesday so we’ll see.”