The season’s leading rider Dylan Browne McMonagle and Declan McDonogh, who both received significant suspensions over the weekend, delivered a fine double for trainer Joseph O’Brien in Roscommon, where ground conditions had turned soft before racing.

The Donegal man edged six clear of six-time champion Colin Keane when Summer Is Tomorrow, the 7/4 favourite, wore down Red Autumn inside the final furlong to land the Irish EBF Median Sires Series 2-Y-O Race.

The 95-rated colt, promoted to second in the recent ‘Ballyhane’ in Naas, relished the return to seven furlongs and coped well with the easy underfoot conditions, as Browne McMonagle acknowledged, “He’s improving with racing and we always felt he’d handle soft ground. It was a super run the last day, over an inadequate trip, and I think he’ll be even better over a mile. He took a furlong to hit top gear, but he was good from the furlong-pole and hit the line well.” 

Second leg of the Carriganog double came in the Lecarrow Race as the Declan McDonogh-ridden Viking Invasion dug deep, despite drifting right and hampering favourite In My Teens, to score by a neck before surviving a steward’s enquiry.

“He had good form, enough to win that,” said O’Brien’s representative Michael Halford, “He’ll probably be gone from handicaps after this, so we’ll see where we go with him. I’d say the ground made the difference to him.” 

But it was last year’s champion apprentice James Ryan who took the evening’s riding honours, completing a double on Selective Power in the Elphin Handicap and Sea Lantern in the mile-and-a-half maiden.

Joint top-weight Selective Power spearheaded a 1-2 for trainer Tom Coyle, bolting up by no less than seven and a half lengths from veteran stable-companion Manhattan Brandy.

“It couldn’t have worked out any better,” stated Coyle, “It’s great for a small yard. He takes a few runs every year, but that ground is the key to him. And the cheekpieces help. In fairness, he’s probably a bit better than that grade.” 

Ryan struck again, and had to work a lot harder, as Sea Lantern, described by trainer Jack Davison as “an unassuming type”, outstayed Simurgh in the Racing Here Again On September 29th Maiden.

The rider commented, “He’s a nice horse, but still a big baby and only going through the motions. There should be plenty of improvement in him.” 

The admirable eight-year-old Earls, trained for Martin Sheridan by Gavin Cromwell, registered his 11th win and his third from four outings over course and distance when making virtually all under Gary Carroll to land the Lidan Handicap at the expense of Counterculture.

“We’ve been waiting for the ground, but he’s been in great nick at home,” said Carroll, “Soft ground is the key and he loves it around here. It’s his time of year.” 

Apprentice Joe Harnett rode out his 10lb claim when partnering another eight-year-old Clear Quartz, trained by his boss Mark Fahey, in the Oran handicap, seeing off Granite Bay and Burren Song.

And the Slatterys were on the mark again when the consistent Whats New, a faller in Killarney last time, stayed on dourly to open his account in the Roscommon racecourse On Facebook Handicap.