BY the time of the feature Listowel Printing Works Handicap at Listowel on Thursday, it was very evident that if you were not near the front, it was going to be very difficult, and that’s how it played out for Vera Verto (9/2), who was just another who revelled with forceful tactics.

When Gary Carroll kicked off the bend, it was clear Gavin Cromwell’s filly was in control, and there was five lengths back to the running-on Vischio at the line.

It was Cromwell’s sixth winner of the week, fourth at Listowel, while this mare was winning for the second time in four starts. Owned by the From The Clouds Syndicate, she has been busy, and was running in mares’ beginners’ chases in April, but she clearly thrives on racing.

“She is a good honest filly, she tries her heart out and hopefully, if the handicapper is not too hard, she’ll win again,” said the winning rider. “She handles that ground, probably wouldn’t want it as soft, but it’s drying out and she handled it today. We got to control the race a little bit, kicked off the bend and won well.

“I’d say there are horses here that win at Listowel and nowhere else. It’s a unique track, a great track and I’m delighted to ride a winner down here.”

The green and red Mayo-themed silks of owner Damien Conway’s Alberta Capital were brought back to the winner’s enclosure for the second time this week when Drop The Dip (9/1) made all for Gavin Ryan in the Thorn Plant Hire Handicap.

The Tom Gibney-trained three-year-old filly was herself making it two out of two at Listowel, having landed a touch here in June, and she was even more impressive this time, kicking off the bend for Ryan to win by just under three lengths.

“Usually Mayo people are used to coming down to Kerry and getting a kicking in the football but Kerry has certainly been good to us this week,” Conway mused. “Tom says she is the most honest filly in the yard - she always puts in her best.

“She is entered in the sales and I think she is going to go on and be a proper juvenile hurdler for somebody.”

Apprentice rider Jack Cleary enjoyed a first winner for Aidan O’Brien when Water Nymph (9/2( made all for him in the one-mile Behans Horseshoe Bar, Restaurant & Townhouse Maiden.

Cleary made sure to make full advantage of an inside draw, and once he got his filly to the front, she travelled well for him. He had everything in trouble early in the straight and though the late challenge of Randall Poets Lass looked dangerous, there was a half-length in the difference at the line.

“My filly was travelling well, in her comfort zone and happy out the whole way,” Cleary said. “She was staying going all the way so I was confident she’d hold on. It’s great experience riding out at Ballydoyle and I’m very thankful to Mr O’Brien and all the staff.”

TIM Doyle didn’t have a single winner last flat season but on Thursday at Listowel, he had his eighth of this season and his fourth in two weeks, following a clear cut win for Simply Sideways.

The six-year-old mare started off this season winning off a mark of 48 and she was bolting up here for her fourth win off 71. She always looked in control once Sean Bowen sent her to the front over three furlongs out and scored by an eased down two and a half lengths from Independent Expert.

“Just in the last month she is after improving a stone and a half, for a six-year-old mare I can’t believe it,” Doyle said. “Things came in her favour. She can handle that ground better than most and I’d say stepping up in trip has helped her, she was running over a mile and she sees out the mile and one very well.

“I had no runner for four months last season. We had an idle year with most of the horses and they got dropped a few pounds, even though they weren’t running, so we started the year with all our horses rated around 50. There is no secret to it, they’re healthy this year and they weren’t healthy last year.”

There was another impressive winner in the Kevin McManus Bookmaker Handicap as David Marnane’s Night Moon completely dominated the mile-and-a-half contest.

The MRC International-owned gelding was sent to the front on the turn in and quickly opened up for Luke McAteer, so much so the Donegal rider could ease him up close to the line and still have eight lengths to spare.

“He has been a slow burner but he is really improving now,” said Marnane. “He is in the Newmarket horses-in-training sale and he will make a lovely jumper.

“I think he is a good horse and will be tailor made for jumping. He comes from a very good German family, a very good staying family and by Sea The Moon, who all love soft ground.”

The opening Buckley Agri New Holland Irish EBF Median Auction Maiden featured an impressive winner in Look At The Stars, who could be another smart type for owner Claire Gleeson.

Declan McDonogh was happy to take a lead off Harry The Rogue and Andy Slattery from the outset, and it was all straightforward once he picked that rival off early in the straight as he went clear to win by five and a half lengths from Cardinal Zin.

TRALEE native Cian Collins was delighted to get off the mark at Listowel when Arabian King (16/1) sliced through the closing Treo Eile Retraining Ireland’s Racehorses Handicap for Colin Keane.

Collins trains in Co Meath and Arabian King is one of 40 horses he has to work with. The seven-year-old gelding improved significantly here, with Keane always looking happy in the second half of the race. They came through to win by four and three quarter lengths from Vicergent.

“I ran a few here last year, and always wanted to have a winner here so it’s great,” said Collins. “That horse has been unlucky, he has run well all along, he just hasn’t got luck in running but he got it today and Colin was great on him.

“That syndicate (Fishy Boys Partnership) are all Offaly. I think a few of them were involved with One Cool Poet. It’s great to get a winner in Listowel. He’s a big horse, he’ll probably mix it over hurdles and go over and back to England now, we’ll have a bit of fun with him.”

James Ryan’s last ride as a 7lb claimer was a winning one and the 2lb difference probably made the difference on Charming Star, who got the better of a head bob finish over the closing Hey Whatever in the MAC Fuels & General Supplies Maiden.

This son of Sea The Stars was purchased for €180,000 for Ecurie Ama Zingteam two years ago. He was unraced for William Haggas but was winning here on his second start for Tom McCourt having finished a promising fifth on debut.

All he did was stay here, losing a good position on the turn, but fighting back for Ryan, who was instrumental in getting him back into contention.