Corkman Corkery appreciates his first winner

'Rookie' trainer Paddy Corkery registered an appropriate first winner at Mallow today as his Master McShee landed the second division of the Charleville Cheese Maiden Hurdle, under jockey Ian Power.

Carrying Cork's red and white colours of Corkery's native county, the son of Malinas chased home Willie Mullins' Cheltenham Festival Bumper runner-up Appreciate It over today's same two-miles course and distance a fortnight ago.

Today he appreciated his own drop in class as he easily beat runner-up Atlantic Fairy by eight and a half lengths.

Afterwards Corkery commented “I am originally from Donoughmore which is 12 miles out the road so it is a nice place to get my first win. I have a business and a farm where I live in Cappoquin, Co Waterford now and this as my golf!

“I've put bad ones through my hands but I had a good mare called Mrs Mac Veale (seven-time winner for trainers Robert Murphy and Gavin Dower) who I used to ride a lot and would do a lot of the work myself.

“I have the license four years and I ride this fellow myself every day. Jimmy Moloney, an ex-jockey, often does the last bit of work for me; he is a pensioner like myself but is very talented and a great man to ride. I have two more horses in training and have a few foals as well.

“A lot of people thought Appreciate It had an awful lot left in the tank the last day but I knew I have a good horse coming and we were confidence coming here today.

“I haven't looked beyond today but will skip Christmas as he has had two runs on the bounce, and will wait until January to run next.”