Dusty Sheehy's Paddys Girl has certainly paid her way over the Christmas period and won her second race, combined with a further second placing over hurdles, at Cork today.
Previously placed at Limerick on December 27, she landed a handicap hurdle two days later before adding the McCarthy Insurance Group Mares Handicap Hurdle under Michael Darcy at Cork.
The winner tracked the leaders before making her move to strike the front entering the straight, eventually beating top weight Longueville Quest by two lengths.
A delighted Sheehy later commented 'there was no point leaving her at home when she is in that sort of form! ' He added 'she has done very well for us over such a short period of time that she definitely deserves a break now. She may revert to chasing again when she returns.'
The opening Ballyclough Maiden Hurdle (division 1) saw 8/13 favourite Ardyne Brideg overturned by Andy Slattery's Kefaaf (100/30), under the trainer's brother, Willie.
The 95 rated winner was well behind Ardyne Bridge at Thurles in December but appeared a different horse here. Kefaaf chased the leaders before striking the front two out, eventually pulling clear of the odds on favourite for a comfortable three length success.
Afterwards the winning trainer mentioned 'he ran a bit flat at Thurles as he had run three times in a month. He has had loads of leg trouble but on his best form he had a solid chance. We were waiting four years for that one win with him!'
The feature event on the card, the E16,000 McCarthy Insurance Group Hurdle went to Charlie Swan's useful Oh Be The Hokey, who held the challenge of main market rival Joueur D'Estruval in a thrilling battle from the third last flight.
Swan has the Mildmay Of Flete Chase at Cheltenham next March in mind for JP McManus' gelding who will run over fences between now and then.
An enforced break worked a treat for Robert Tyner's Spring The Que in the second division of the Ballyclough Maiden Hurdle.
Previously banned for 42 days when his jockey was deemed to have made insufficient effort when seventh at this venue in November, the winner recorded an effortless win here, once the clear front-runner In The East was pegged back by the field at the second last flight.
Afterwards Tyner explained 'she was ridden too far out of her ground the last day and she'll now go for a winners' race somewhere.'
Spring The Que's jockey John Allen came close to recording a double in the McCarthy Insurance Group Mares Handicap Hurdle although a second last flight blunder on Glenbane Lady possibly cost her the race, finishing one length second to Chicamala.
Chicamala's win was the first training success of Marie Harding, sister of jockeys Brian and Richard. The Co Cork handler had previously trained the daughter of Be My Native to win a point to point but has only held her training license for less than a year.
Dick Donohoe's Sea Skate landed the Kanturk Maiden Hurdle. Winning jockey Mark Walsh was deputising for the Paul Carberry who injured an elbow in a fall at home this morning. Carberry expects to be back race-riding on Thursday.
