Hustler toughs it out under O'Connell

City Hustler may have been very easy in morning trading as all the action centred around Jack Cool but that favourite never looked likely as the former (a gamble on track from 7s into 9/2) battled off Get It On by three parts of a length in the Yolanda O'Gorman Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Ballinrobe.

Jack Cool's jumping of the easy fix hurdles was a bit awkward and Get It On pecked slightly at the last but City Hustler battled well under Eddie O'Connell who has recently moved to agent Niall Cronin.

Karl Thornton, son of the winning owner/trainer, Sean, said: "He'll go to Galway next Friday for the amateur handicap hurdle. He doesn't do a tap in front and he probably got there a bit too soon."

When City Hustler scored at Gowran last month it was a first success under rules for Skerries based Thornton.