No Weir, no Smerdon, Laing's back.
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That was the message after the opening race of the TAB May Racing Carnival on Tuesday when Cranbourne trainer Robbie Laing made a triumphant return to jumps racing.
Laing, who has not had a jumps winner at the carnival since 2011,was celebrating after Darabad scored an eight-length win in the first division of the maiden hurdle.
Laing was back in Cranbourne but stable representative Amanda Townley was delighted with the result.
"We haven't had many jumpers for a long time," she said.
"He (Robbie) said with Darren Weir and Robert Smerdon off the scene now was the time to come back. He said he couldn't beat them. He got out of jumps and concentrated on flat horses.
"It's great to be back and win the first."
Townley said the Laing stable was building up its jumps contingent.
Laing won six jumps races at the carnival between 2007 and 2011, including the Grand Annual but leading trainers Smerdon and Weir started a dominant run.
Veteran Crossley trainer Hakuna Matata was second while top-weight Andrea Mantegna was a further 1.75 lengths away third.
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