Hope springs eternal despite market drift Despite proving easy-to-back, Inspire Hope ran out a comfortable winner of the opening Killarney Grand 3yo Maiden Hurdle. No match for Butter Fingers on her debut over flights at Tipperary, the Joseph O'Brien-trained victor was sent off a 7/2 chance this afternoon, drifting from early shows of 11/8. Never far from the pace, the Camelot bay didn't jump with much fluency under JJ Slevin, but still improved to lead after four out. Owned by Mark Dobbins, the E36,000 yearling purchase went on after three out and eventually came home six-and-a-half lengths to the good. Returned at 33/1, Game Phoenix ran well to finish second under Darragh O'Keeffe for Paul Power, while market leader Robbies Rock (5/6f from 2s early) was another five-and-a-half lengths away in third. "I was hoping she might have done that the first day (in Tipperary) but maybe I was sharper today as it wasn't my finest hour then. She done it well today," Slevin reflected. "The experience stood to her, she likes popping away, will improve with racing and is a nice filly going forward. "There is a programme for those fillies in England so we might target some of those and she'd handle an ease." STEWARDS REPORTS * P. Hanlon, rider of Baron Blake (FR), trained by John Joseph Hanlon, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount ran green at times. * B.P. Kennedy, rider of Sinbad My Dad, trained by Seamus Fahey, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount's saddle slipped and he pulled up. Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
