HELLO Neighbour looked a smart prospect when completing a double for Gavin Cromwell at Roscommon on Monday.

The Harzand gelding had landed a gamble on his debut at Navan last month and made it two from two, with a convincing success in the rated race over 10 furlongs.

Gary Carroll asked the even-money favourite, owned by Patrick Sheanon, to take closer order turning for home and, after hitting the front over two furlongs out, he asserted in the closing stages for a three-length win over Cheeky Wink.

Cromwell said: “He’s a nice horse, we’re going to go hurdling with him now. I suppose the mile-and-a-quarter is probably his minimum and it was a small bit of a concern coming back from a mile-and-six, but with an ease in the ground, I thought it would balance the books a bit.”

The Danestown handler had initiated his brace when Breezy Zoff landed a deserved success in the second division of the 47-65 handicap.

Carroll was again in the plate and delivered the 11/2 shot with a strong surge inside the final furlong to record a length-and-three-quarters success over Asisaid.

Cromwell said: “She’s not winning out of turn. She tries hard. The ease in the ground, and they went good and hard, so everything fell right for her.

“I’m delighted for her, she’s owned by a good bunch of lads (Formidable Syndicate) and they’ve been very patient. It’s well deserved.”

The first division of the race provided the tightest finish of the day, as Pandion Power rallied gamely to land the spoils.

Rory Mulligan was in the lead after a furlong on the Johnny Murtagh-trained gelding and, having been headed going to the furlong pole, the 7/1 shot battled back to get up again close home for a short-head win over Little Keilee.

Mulligan said: “He kept fighting the whole way to the line. We were a long time waiting for it, but all he needed was the soft ground. He’s a good horse and he stays well when he gets there.”

First and last race double for Lee

BILLY Lee also bagged a double on the card when taking the first and last races.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Ata Rangi got him rolling in the opener, when making most in the seven-furlong maiden.

The 9/4 shot, owned by Ben Halsall, kept on well in the closing stages to prove a length and a quarter too strong for Thequietman.

Lee said: “He’s been consistent in his races and on the best of his form, he was entitled to do that.

“He hit the gates and carried me to the front, I didn’t take a pull out of him and let him at it.

“I thought it was a nice performance and hopefully he’ll build on that.”

Lee teamed up with Charles O’Brien in the finale as 3/1 favourite Paradise Lost also opened his account.

The Australia gelding, owned by Jack Singleton, was produced late to grab Billie Frechette and record a half-length success.

Lee revealed: “Nothing went to plan. I wanted to be a lot more forward, but he was very slowly away and slow into stride.

“It took me a long time to get to grips with the race, even halfway down around the bottom, I thought I had a lot of ground to make up.

“They’ve gone a good gallop and I was just working my way into it. Once he got on to the back of Noel Meade’s horse, he found more and he won cosy at the line.”

Diamond does the business again

SOFT ground is the key to Merisi Diamond and he recorded his third win of the campaign, when getting up late in the 50-80 seven-furlong handicap.

Joanna Morgan’s charge had won at the venue on his penultimate outing and made it two from two at the midlands track.

Ronan Whelan delivered the 11/4 favourite with a strong run to lead close home and beat old rival Mercurial by a neck.

Morgan said: “He’s just a very good horse when he has conditions to suit. I ran him, because he was so well, on good to yielding ground last time, but he’s different gravy on that sort of ground.

“He’s massive and he’ll be even better next year. He’s 17.1hh and fellas are saying to me ‘why don’t you go jumping?’ but he’s a flat horse, a six and seven-furlong horse – he ain’t a jumper.”

Trainer John Nallen was narrowly denied with Mercurial, but got on the scoresheet himself when Firebrand took the Class Grass Maiden a few races later. The Siyouni gelding made all under Seamie Heffernan and stayed on well close home to hold Babich by half a length.

Assistant James ‘Corky’ Carroll said of the 10/3 winner: “I said to Seamie, if there wasn’t any pace on to bounce out and go a good even gallop the whole way, just hold on to a little coming up the straight.

“Seamie had it down to a tee and he battled the whole way. We might give him another run on the flat, but he will go back over hurdles any time we want.”

Prairie Angel was another dual-purpose campaigner to strike on the level, when taking the On-Course Vets Handicap for Joseph O’Brien.

Dylan Browne McMonagle kicked on over two furlongs out on the 3/1 shot and Sean Sweeney’s filly kept on well in the closing stages for a length-and-three-quarter win.

Browne McMonagle said: “I was very comfortable all the way and she quickened up well, and won well.

“She’s improving a lot and hopefully she’s not done yet. She handles soft ground and she stays well.”