Mulhern aiming for Hong Kong success

OSTERHASE put himself in line for another trip to the Far East with an all-the-way success in the Patrick P.O’Leary Memorial Phoenix Sprint Stakes at the Curragh yesterday.

John Mulhern’s charge finished 11th in the Hong Kong Sprint last December and could be making another trip around the world following yesterday’s short-head success.

After breaking smartly, the 8-1 shot was driven to the front by Fran Berry and managed to keep his nose in front throughout, although Jeremy Noseda’s Balmont was arguably unlucky not to take the Group Three prize. Mick Kinane found trouble in running when trying to get off the rail in the closing stages aboard Balmont, with the pair leaving many long faces in the betting ring after the four-year-old was supported all day before being sent off the 9-4 market leader.