Domination much too powerful in Cork

Domination landed the two and a quarter mile J.P. McManus Hurdle in facile fashion for trainer Charles Byrnes at Cork.

The 2/9 ‘jolly’ raced moved closer into third place after the fourth last flight. From there it was merely a case of how far he would win. Davy Russell guided him to the head of proceeding before the last and a lovely jump there saw him hose up by three lengths. Supreme Doc grabbed good place money in second at 14/1. It was eight lengths back to Gimli’s Rock in third who battled past the tiring front-runner Silk Hall from the last hurdle.

“I’m delighted he didn’t get a hard race. He might have a wee break now with the English Cesarewitch on October 12 as his target,” Charles Byrnes said.

“He’s very ground dependant though. He wants good ground. Davy said it wasn’t good enough for him down the back straight.

“He hates soft ground and won’t run during the winter. We’ll have a look at a conditions hurdle for him in Galway in September because we could be waiting for the Cesarewitch and the ground could go against us.

“He would jump a fence if you wanted him to, but there’s more money over hurdles for the time being.”

This was Domination’s seventh career victory. He won a Cesarewitch trial in Newmarket last September.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes