French-import Foveros in charge at Cork

Foveros justified plenty of market support with a decisive victory in the Summer BBQ Evenings Maiden Hurdle at Cork.

The four-year-old French-bred gelding was always prominent on Irish debut as he tracked Brawler He eased into the lead three out under Paul Townend and was pushed clear after the next.

The 4/9 favourite stretched away on the run-in to deliver by eight lengths for Willie Mullins. Nero Rock came home second at 16/1 (from 25s) with Nibiru a further length and a half down in third at 8/1.

Paul Townend said: “He was good and his jumping will improve. I suppose he was green enough and keen coming off the Flat.

“They have done a marvellous job on the ground. It is beautiful, good, safe ground. He’ll handle a dig in it as well as he won on soft in Longchamp.

“It’s a typical one of Luke’s as he can mix it between Flat and over jumps.”

This was champion jockey Townend's first winner of the new jumps season.

Luke McMahon owns Foveros.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee