Casimir scores for Grassick & Townend

The Michael Grassick trained Casimir Road got the better of the 7/4 favourite Rossvoss to land the Bluegrass Resolve Cubes 4yo Novice Hurdle under Paul Townend.

The winning son of High Chaparral won his maiden hurdle on his fourth effort over timber at Cork in April before having two runs on the level.

Last time out he went back over hurdles and finished a good second to Discoteca at Gowran last month.

Sent off the 5/2 second favourite this evening, Paul Townend had him in third for much of the contest before he moved into second approaching the third last.

The favourite Rossvoss led from the fourth last but was challenged by the winner at the second last (where he made a mistake) and couldn’t hold him off.

Casimir Road then kept on well from before the last to score by four and a half lengths at the line.

Rossvoss had to settle for second for Ted & Ruby Walsh while Roman Flight was a further two and a half lengths back in third at 9/2 for Charlie Swan and Davy Russell.

The winner was previously trained on the level by Jim Bolger where he failed to score on six efforts for him. He has since mixed it between hurdles and flat after joining the Michael Grassick yard.

Grassick said after the win: "Paul (Townend) said when he hit the really heavy patches he came off the bridle.

"He is better over hurdles than the flat because hurdles make him concentrate.

"He doesn’t mind any ground as long as it’s not fast. He is a hard horse to keep fit.

"We will give him a break now and look at a 4yo handicap hurdle (the Lartigue Hurdle) at Listowel for him."

(On-course reporting by Michael Graham)