Masterstonemason perfecting his craft

A good jump at the last by Masterstonemason (9/4) enabled him to see off Foxy Lass in the three-year-old hurdle at Gowran Park.

Masterstonemason was always towards the front rank under Rachael Blackmore and moved into a narrow lead after the third last.

Foxy Lass tracked him in a close second on the outer though and was on terms after the penultimate hurdle.

The pair had the race between them coming to the last but Masterstonemason put in the better leap to take the lead on the run-in. He increased it to a length and a quarter at the line.

Foxy Lass (12/1) finished four and a half lengths in front of third-placed Apparition (9/10 favourite on hurdling debut) who couldn't go with the front pair after the second last.

Rachael Blackmore said: "It was a good performance so we are delighted with him. He has taken to hurdling really well and on his form he was entitled to be in the shake-up today.

"It was quite tacky in Listowel [when Masterstonemason was second] so the ground was going to be no problem today.

"The ground is a lot drier than yesterday. It is still going to take a good bit of getting."

Trainer Flan Costello added: “His experience was a big help and I think he’ll go on any ground. He’s a biggish horse, about 16.2, and is only growing into himself.

"If it was two and a half miles I think he’d win by an awful lot more as he stays at it forever.”

Costello is also a publican and owns Costello's Tavern in Limerick City.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee