Joe steals the show at Cork
Mossey Joe was the surprise star of the show at Cork as jump racing returned to Ireland following the big freeze.
The 12-1 shot, trained in County Tipperary by Willie Austin, was aiming high on his first run over the smaller obstacles in the O’Connell Group Cork Stayers Novice Hurdle.
However, the dual point-to-point and novice hunter chase winner, took it all in his stride as he landed the Grade Three heat in tremendous fashion.
Always travelling easily for Andrew Leigh as Saville Row and Fists Of Fury made the running, Mossey Joe jumped into the lead at the third last flight.
From that moment the race was over as the Moscow Society gelding stretched clear to score by nine lengths from Fists Of Fury.
“I’m not surprised he won like that, he never came off the bridle to win before,” said Austin.
“He was never away for a gallop before today, though, and that should bring him on another stone.
“He is a more of a chaser really but he might go in another one of those (a hurdle). The Irish National would be his main aim as he jumps well.
“He’d be better off in front. He had to come here though as there were no chases for him. There was only one three-miler and that was in Leopardstown at Christmas.”
Dual bumper winner Bishopsfurze was cut from 25-1 to 16-1 by Stan James for the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after making a successful winning debut over jumps in the first division of the Irish Racing Yearbook Maiden Hurdle.
The 11-10 favourite, trained by Willie Mullins, went on before the second-last in the hands of Paul Townend and kept on strongly to beat 33-1 outsider Changing Times by three lengths.
Changing Times’ trainer Oliver McKiernan went one better when Profit Margin (9-2) gained a hard-fought success in division two.
House Rules held a narrow lead from Profit Margin and Baily Green at the last but could not quicken on the run-in and had to settle for fourth.
Profit Margin got the better of Baily Green though Stephanie Kate flew at the finish to take second a length and a quarter behind the winner.
McKiernan said: “After all the snow we’ve had for the last fortnight he was only on the walker as there is still six inches on our gallops, so we got him to the Curragh last Thursday for a canter.
“He looked to be fit enough there but he is that type of horse anyway – he doesn’t carry much condition.
“The trip there was a bit short for him but that was a good test with the likes of (Henry) De Bromhead’s horse (House Rules) in there.”
Mountain Heather bounded away from her rivals to take the Newmarket Novice Handicap Hurdle in good style.
Michael Hogan’s seven-year-old was left in the clear when Newcastle Blaze came down halfway through the contest.
That allowed Paddy Kennedy to dictate affairs and the 7lb claimer was never seriously challenged as the 16-1 shot won by eight lengths from Burnfort Girl with Lady Perspex third.
“She’d have won further with a hill finish! She’ll run again at Christmas, possibly back over fences then,” said Hogan.
“We’ll see what the handicapper does with her over hurdles now, if he’s not too hard on her she could stay over them at Limerick at Christmas.”
Osirixamix (12-1) ran his rivals into the ground with a cosy pillar-to-post success in the Mallow Handicap Hurdle.
Robbie Power had it all his own way on the Tony Martin-trained gelding who never saw another horse as he struck by three lengths from Fool’s Wildcat.
De Bromhead’s Byerley Bear (9-2) wore down Metro Star to take the corkracecourse.ie (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race by a length and a quarter under amateur David Roche.
