Rocky Blue did them proud in a Grade Two at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day, and Court Maid carried that momentum into the new year for owner Rory Larkin and the father and son team of Tom and David Mullins in the Cork opener today.

One of two mares in the line-up Court Maid (2/1 out to 11/4 2nd favourite) was an appropriate winner of the Womens Little Christmas Lunch Rated Novice Hurdle. Ballyneety (100/30) travelled up shaping like a winner from two out but he couldn't master the bang-in-form Court Maid (now a winner of her last three) and she held sway at the line by two lengths.

They drew on by four and a quarter lengths from the other mare in the field, One First Cut (8s into 5s).

"She was in the two and a half mile handicap today but I said this race would suit better as it wasn't as competitive. She won a two mile bumper in Galway and it looked an easier route and it paid off," said Mullins senior.

"She is definitely better over further and I said to David would two two suit her and he said it would, so I'd say my father's handicap (Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle during the Dublin racing festival) is probably where she should go next. It is worth E80,000 so it would be nice to win that!"

(TW & EM)