Flight scores despite wandering about Roman Flight showed the benefit of a recent run at Clonmel to open his account under Ruby Walsh in an incident-packed four-year-olds’ maiden hurdle at Cork. Successful on his debut in a Flat maiden at Limerick last year and also a promising second over hurdles at Killarney last summer, the well-backed 100/30 second favourite (from 9/2) wandered about quite a bit after striking the front in the straight. His task was somewhat eased as uneasy 11/4 favourite Maxim Gorky crashed out when holding every chance three out, and champion jockey Davy Russell was stood down for the rest of the evening with an injured left hand. Walsh had to drive the quirky winner right out to prevail by three lengths from the staying on outsider Landero (33/1), with Ontheground (13/2) another three and three quarter lengths adrift in third. The trio finished well clear of the remainder, with six horses (including four fallers) failing to finish. Winning trainer Charlie Swan said, “He won’t be hitting the front as soon the next time! I told Ruby to go on if he was happy to but he looks a real brat. “He never shows any tendency like that at home, although he did try to run out at Roscommon last year. I thought the line would never come! He’ll go next for either a winners-of-one or a handicap.” (Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes)
