Doyle finds the key to Cologne

Outofcologne showed the benefit a change of yard can make when leaving some poor previous form well behind to make all in the Powerstown Handicap Hurdle at Clonmel.

The daughter of Germany had lost her way in six outings for Philip Rothwell but the recent switch to Liz Doyle proved just the trick, and she even attracted some support from 16/1 into 12/1.

Sean Flanagan elected to make all the running and, despite mistakes at the final two flights, she justified the support.

The six-year-old was about four lengths clear at the last but was holding on in the closing stages and eventually won by half a length from Summers King with Fort Carson the same distance back in third.

Doyle said, “She is a nice mare to get, and Philip’s horses were not 100% last year. I wanted to try something different today off (a rating of) 80, so I put on a hood and a tongue tie.

“On this ground the best place to be is in front and she can be a bit keen. We wanted to get her to drop it and make the others work to get to her.

“I love sorting these types of funny ones out, and it’s great to get a new owner (Oliver Ryan from Mullingar).”

(TW & AM)