IF Carlsberg did Listowel Harvest Festivals, they’d do well to even dream up the type of week that trainer Eoin McCarthy has enjoyed in the Kingdom in 2025.

An extremely popular Ladies Day treble brought up a sensational six-timer from his first 14 runners of the week - sparking colourful scenes around the Listowel winner’s enclosure as the locals got behind the Athea, Co Limerick-based handler.

“It’s unbelievable, I’m actually afraid I’m going to fall out of the bed any second now,” quipped McCarthy after Tropical Image’s five-length success in the Guinness Listowel Mares Handicap Hurdle completed his Friday hat-trick.

“I left here deflated when getting out of jail with just one big-priced winner at last year’s Festival and, while loads ran okay, it’s a funny game because the only currency is winners.

“At the back-end of last year, we didn’t have the string of horses we wanted and it was one thing after another going wrong. We worked hard at getting quality young horses and got back rolling in the spring, after going nine months without a winner.

“A month ago, I said we had savage depth with some lovely handicappers, maiden horses and unraced ones and it was the best team we ever had. I dreamed of having six winners but would have settled for three, so this is phenomenal.”

Tropical Image was a second winner on the day - and a third of the week - for owner Sean Maguire, who hails from the complete other side of the island in Newry, while the well-backed 9/2 favourite also was continuing a memorable Harvest Festival for 7lb claimer Thomas O’Connor (won on the same connections’ Fast Felix 24 hours earlier).

McCarthy added: “She’s a well-bred filly but early on in her career she was disappointing. Sean is a great man for patience so we gave her time and she came back going well this year. After her good run at Killarney in August, we parked up with this race in mind.”

Ollie on time

The first leg of the McCarthy-Maguiremultiple came in the two-mile-two-furlong MCG Ladies Handicap Hurdle as Ollie La Ba Ba (9/2 joint-favourite) got on top close home under Jody Townend to beat main market rival Half A Chance by a neck.

McCarthy was keen to pay tribute to the winning rider, who picked up a two-day careless riding suspension in the process.

“Jody is a huge asset,” he said. “While I secured her early last week, I had a different horse, Tinking Man, in mind for her. I thought Tinking Man was really solid, but when he was only a reserve, I switched her to Ollie La Ba Ba and she gave him a peach. We’re just having one of those weeks and everything is bouncing our way.”

It’s a fair feather in the trainer’s cap that three of his six winners at the meeting were recording their first victory under rules - a sign they had been prepared to peak for this week - and Regards To Rose falls into that category.

The 7/1 chance, ridden by Gary Noonan, improved nicely from her handicap debut at Killarney to run out a two-and-three-quarter-length winner in the two-mile Trant Goodwill Stakes Handicap Hurdle.

McCarthy was particularly delighted for her owner-breeder Mick Mortel.

“Mick is in hospital and this will help in his recovery; the lads were saying he wasn’t doing great but when the mare hit the front he nearly jumped out of the bed!” said the red-hot handler.

“They have been very good to me and I’m sure they will hold on to this mare to breed from in time. She will be a nice mare over a fence in time.”

TALENTED young amateur Josh Williamson savoured the biggest winner of his career against professionals in the €100,000 feature William Hill Each Way Extra Handicap Hurdle, as the Gordon Elliott-trained Casheldale Lad showed an excellent attitude to deny the admirable Lord Erskine.

Bective Stud’s five-year-old, who was sourced off the flat from the Andrew Kinirons yard, posted a smart performance to win at the Punchestown Festival before a good Galway Hurdle third when last seen, and he was in no mood to be denied on the front end.

It looked as though he was just about getting the upper hand over his veteran rival when getting away from the final flight on better terms.

Speaking after the length-and-a-quarter success as 3/1 favourite, Williamson said: “He had a great run in the Galway Hurdle and I really fancied him today off only 2lb higher. The race cut up after declarations were made and he did it well.

“I’m loving it and riding in these big-pot races are great opportunities to get. They don’t come easy so you don’t take them for granted. I’m 19 and will see how I go riding as an amateur, but I’ll probably look at it around Christmas time to see should I turn professional. My dad [Norman] is a big help and I wouldn’t be where I am without him.”

Smart display

Earlier on the card, there was plenty to like about how Nadia’s Dream (6/5) made all to turn over 8/11 favourite Frankie John in the two-mile-two-furlong John J. Galvin Maiden Hurdle under Paul Townend.

The point-to-point and bumper-winning five-year-old, owned by Mustafa Elatrash and trained by Willie Mullins, ran out a ready winner by five and a half lengths to likely earn a step up in class.

“I was impressed with him and especially with his jumping, which was like a handicapper,” said Townend.

“He was taking lengths out of his rivals everywhere. He also came out of a good home [Aidan Fitzgerald] so has a lot of jumps jumped and his breeder Niall Flynn doesn’t miss too often either.”

Cooper collects

A contender for most decisive winner of the day came in the Shanahan Power Irish EBF Mares Bumper as Celestial Tune continued a good day for favourite backers as 9/4 market leader under Harry Swan.

Tom Cooper won this bumper with Amen Kate 12 months ago (beating the high-class Carrigmoornaspruce on that occasion) and there was a bit of style about how this Punchestown Festival runner-up went one better for owners John Ryan and Ciaran Mooney here.

Speaking after the nine-and-a-half-length success, Cooper said: “She’s a very nice filly who came back in from grass in the middle of July, so has two months of work done. I hadn’t her really drilled so she will improve from this.

“She worked well recently with a horse [Saint Clovis] who finished second here yesterday - I think he’s very good. This filly has a great attitude, will go on soft ground and we’ll train her for a listed bumper at Navan next. She has plenty of size so will make a fine staying chaser down the line.”

ERIC McNamara took this meeting by storm 12 months ago with a five-timer but had been enduring a frustrating week with five placed horses and no winner until Gaelic Des Chastys got up in the nick of time to win the Paud, Sarah & Mary Fitzmaurice Memorial Handicap Chase under Gary Noonan

The 15/2 chance is owned by a partnership involving the Wise Guys Syndicate, E Munro, Thomas Fitzsimons and Manorplace Ltd, and went one better than a near miss in this race 12 months ago.

He was due this first victory in over a year, having been unlucky not to collect at Roscommon two starts earlier.

“Our week from last year was never likely to be replicated and we have been hitting the crossbar this week, so this is a relief,” said McNamara.

“We had been a bit unlucky with a few of our runners but the horses have been running great. He was unlucky at Roscommon when his jockey eased-up on him before the line and then he didn’t get two miles and seven furlongs at Killarney last time.

“The syndicate is headed by publican Josh Sheahan from Askeaton and by God they’ll celebrate this!”

Mornin prevails

Class came to the fore in the concluding Listowel Races Supporters Club Failte Abhaile Qualified Riders Race (run in memory of Pat Scanlon), with 2024 Fred Winter winner Lark In The Mornin fending off a persistent challenge from Grade 2 winner/multiple Grade 1-placed mare Jetara by a head.

John Gleeson and Joseph O’Brien have been having a good week in Co Kerry and the Sean and Bernardine Mulryan-owned performer kept boxing on well to follow up his recent Bellewstown win on the level.

“He’s a classy horse with a good, honest attitude,” Gleeson said of the 100/30 winner. “I knew Jetara would stay well so I didn’t go overly hard the whole way and was quite happy to kick off the bend to take the sting out of her.”