Ryehill a first track winner for Lee Shanahan

Lee Shanahan was another young rider to partner his first winner under Rules at Cork when guiding Ryehill (1/1 fav) to victory in the John Thomas McNamara Maiden Hunters Chase.

The Mahler gelding, a dual point-to-point winner, led between the final two fences and went away to beat Glady Max by 17 lengths. 

Owned by the Outback Syndicate and Conor Brett, the seven-year-old is trained by Ross O'Sullivan who said: "Three miles suits him down to the ground but he isn't a natural over his fences. He is hard to watch in a race but gets the job done and must be some good.

"I'm delighted for Lee, whose parents are all here and is a right lad. 

"The owners are from Galway except Conor Brett from Cork and got into a syndicate after the horse failed to sell after finishing second in his first run. They're knocking great sport out of him.

"The plan was to go handicap chasing but we might look for a winners' of one hunters' chase now."

Shanahan added: "That's my first track winner and my fourth winner (including point-to-points) this year. I'm 23, from Tallaght and did the RACE course in 2016. I was based with Dermot Weld initially and am with Ross six years.

"Ryehill is a galloping type so the further he goes the more he finds. He was jumping very well, I was very comfortable the whole way and the others came back to him. 

"He got in tight to the last and twisted a bit in the air but was good enough to find a leg."

Quotes from Tom Weekes