Palm Ridge completed a great week for Dermot Weld when justifying favouritism in the concluding Mitchelstown Maiden at Cork under Pat Smullen.
The son of Indian Ridge led under two furlongs out and despite drifting left inside the final furlong he was a length and three parts superior to Slade (4s into 3s).
Mark Weld, representing his father, Dermot, said: "The boss was planning to come but he went to Galway at the eleventh hour. That's twelve winners for the week now so it's been a good week all round.
"This horse hit the crossbar a couple of times and he deserved that. The only instruction to Pat was to go out and win as the owners (the Coughlans) were here. There is no plan now and the ease in the ground was a huge help."
