Doubles for Walsh and Cooper

Ruby Walsh brought up his double at Cork on board Our Girl Lucy with a fine ride from the front on the 3/1 favourite in the two and a half mile handicap hurdle at Cork.

The six-year-old daughter of Flemensfirth is trained by Tom Cooper who was bringing up his own double after Queen Of The Hill obliged at 9/4 in Downpatrick’s concluding bumper earlier in the day.

“It’s a nice double north and south. She’s been knocking on the door for a while and she has been creeping up a few pounds in the weights,” Tom Cooper said.

“She caused a lot of problems at the start and was kicking like mad and we got permission to keep her away from the other horses.

“She could be for sale now! She could go to Galway for either a three mile or two mile five handicap as she wants a trip and good ground. She could go chasing after that.”

“I won’t have many horses for Killarney next week. The ammunition isn’t there, but I have a few for Galway.”

This was Our Girl Lucy’s first National Hunt win, but it looked like Lucky Pigeon and Get In There would get past her after two out, however the mare kept finding more for Walsh and stuck her neck out well to win by a length and a half from Lucy Pigeon (20/1).

Get In There, who travelled well throughout, could find no extra from the last and took third at 25/1 while Cnoc Seoda stayed on well for fourth at 12/1 in the 23-runner event.

Michael Graham (on course reporting by Alan Magee)