Celestial Prospect stamps his Galway ticket

Celestial Prospect wore down Sweet My Lord on the run-in to the Dermot Casey Tree Care Hurdle at Cork.

The well-backed Flatfoot Boogie (6/1 to 7/2 in the morning and 7/2 to 5/2 at the track) set out to make all the running as he stays much further than the two and a half mile distance of this race.

A mistake at the third last didn’t help his cause, however, he was in the process of being passed by Sweet My Lord who quickly galloped away. Celestial Prospect set off in pursuit and cut the gap coming to the last where the pair jumped it almost in unison. After landing, he got on top in the latter stages and kept on to score by half a length and reward favourite backers at 11/8.

Sweet My Lord was a massive drifter prior to racing. He was 7/4 early doors this morning, but eased right out to 9/2 and at the track the bookies couldn’t give him away as his SP was returned at 7/1 from an opening show of 11/2. Flatfoot Boogie was left somewhat flatfooted in third, a further 15 lengths away.

Handler Martin Brassil said: “I was a little concerned the ground was after getting a bit too slow. You couldn’t get it quick enough for him. It was nice to win another one with him. We’ll look for a flat handicap at Galway or a handicap hurdle on the Saturday there, but he is ground dependant. He’s a real summer horse.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes