IF there was betting on next week’s Treo Eile-sponsored thoroughbred final at Wexford Equestrian, the Cian McGee-owned and ridden Carlton Gardens would be a very short price following his latest win at the Stepping Stones to Success series on Tuesday.

Locally-based McGee and the British-bred Sea The Stars six-year-old, who failed to finish in the first three in 13 starts and last ran at Dundalk in mid-October, recorded their latest victory on a score of 30.5 penalties. There was a dead-heat for second on 34.75 between Co Longford’s Edel Whyte on the six-year-old Arctic Cosmos gelding Dontbegonelong, with whom she also competed in the Eventing Ireland Western Region Starter Series, and Jennifer French riding the nine-year-old Carlotomix gelding Rock Of Tuskar who is just over a year out of training.