Spindleberry had to work hard when getting up late on to land the odds in the mares beginners chase at Cork.

The Willie Mullins-trained mare, runner-up in Grade 1 company at Fairyhouse last Easter, went to post an 8/11 shot on her debut over fences in the two-mile-five contest.

She tracked leader Majestic Force from the first fence and but came under pressure after making a slight mistake two from home.

The front-runner reached for the last and a better jump there gave Spindleberry a chance.

The Policy Maker mare knuckled down well, for Paul Townend, on the run-in to get up for a half-length win.

Townend said:- “I jumped well but the second (Majestic Force) jumped so well. She had me just at the pin of my collar.

“I wasn’t missing fences, but she was getting a length everywhere. My mare took a little blow, and I said I’ll have one go instead of getting in a battle and having to ask all the way down the straight.

“She was brave for me at the last. I thought, going to the last, that bar I had bad luck, I’d give her a run of it. Obviously, we were helped by Darragh’s mare reaching for it, but I had the momentum up as well. He had committed and his mare was maintaining a gallop, whereas I was picking up.

“She took a blow and will come on for it, and she’ll go on a touch slower ground. I thought it was a good performance.”

It was a treble on the card for Mullins and a double for jockey Townend.

(Quotes by Tom Weekes)