Wakea gets back on track in opener

Wakea justified odds-on favouritism when making all under amateur Johnny Barry in the Mylerstown Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel.

The Cape Cross gelding landed a similar event at Down Royal in May only to be later disqualified due to a prohibited substance.

The five-year-old gelding, a three-time winner on the all-weather when under the care of Jeremy Noseda, was far from fluent at the last but kept on well on the run-in.

The 4/9 favourite had nearly five lengths to spare over Brog Deas Nua with Rock Lobster another three and a quarter lengths adrift in third.

Winning trainer Karl Thornton said, "It is still a mystery how he had an anti-inflammatory drug in his system as he never had any cuts or issues. When the test came back positive from Newmarket, they said it would have a seven-day withdrawal period but it took three months and he only tested clear on Wednesday week.

"It has been a wasted summer but hopefully he is on the right road now and it was grand to get experience in another maiden hurdle. He'll come on a ton from the run and John (Barry) said he took a good blow. He also pulled very hard early on and he is so big, his jumping will improve."

(TW & AM)