Jungle Cove makes winning debut over hurdles

Smart Flat handicapper Jungle Cove (10/1) made a winning start over jumps when landing the Sheridan Electric Maiden Hurdle under Conor Smithers.

Owned and trained by Jessica Harrington, the grey raced handily and led on the approach to the second-last. Narrowly in front of Eoin's Charm jumping the last, the seven-year-old was left clear when that rival capsized and kept on well to beat Zulu Mike by four and three-quarter lengths.

"With those older horses, even a slight bit of a change can sweeten them up and today he duly obliged," said Smithers.

"He wouldn't have done a whole pile of jumping. Every now and again, he would have done a little school up the strip, to sweeten him up more than anything, but he was always quite good at doing so. I gave him a little school yesterday just to get his eye back in and he was super.

"If a new kid comes into us, maybe on a Saturday, they get the privilege of riding him. He's kind of a legend in the yard and everyone loves him.

"That was a good start and I think he could be above-average over hurdles."