Creek coasts to smooth win
Under an ultra-confident ride by Jamie Spencer, the Pat Hughes-trained mare came through to master Avec Plaisir inside the final furlong for an effortless win which prompted her trainer to nominate the valuable Galway handicap or a listed race at Leopardstown as her next target.
Cache Creek was ending a long losing sequence, but had acquitted herself well in better company in recent weeks, and she will be retired soon as she is in foal to Barathea.
Champion jockey Paul Carberry took the riding honours, completing a double on Lance and Woody Glen.
Carberry oozed confidence on the odds-on favourite Lance in the Bank Of Ireland Novice Hurdle, tracking his front-running market rival Sir Onside, before taking command between the last two flights and booking his passage to Galway.
Later, Carberry completed his double on the Tony Martin-trained Woody Glen, which justified favouritism in the Flemings Super Valu Handicap Hurdle.
Trainer Noel Meade, responsible for Lance, had been expected to initiate a double with the Carberry-ridden Mac Three in the opening County Roscommon Vintners’ Association maiden Hurdle, but he proved no match for all the way winner Gimli’s Axe.
