Crossfirehurricane maintained his unbeaten record at Dundalk today as the Joseph O'Brien trained colt overcame a 237 day absence to win the View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Race.

The son of Kitten's Joy was heavily backed on-track from 5/2 in to 11/8 favourite and while he missed the break, jockey Mikey Sheehy played the waiting game and held his mount up in rear of mid-division. The pair made good headway on the inside running rail in the straight, moved to the front inside the final furlong before quickening well for a three and a half lengths win from Orchid Gardens

Crossfirehurricane had previously made a winning debut for jockey Shane Crosse at Limerick last June and following today's win, trainer O'Brien's assistant Brendan Powell said “he got squeezed out after about half a furlong so he had to sit and wait.

“He had a lot of ground to make up turning in but once he got there he said he learned a little bit more again. He said he quickened well and quickened away.

“I don't know where he'll go now but it's nice to get him back on the track and win. He's got a good future looking at the way he won that.”

Regarding the colt's layoff, he added “I don't think there was anything seriously wrong with him. He got knocked around the day he won and then Joseph just gave him time.

“He's grown a lot and filled out a lot since. He's a bigger, stronger horse now so hopefully he'll have a nice three-year-old career.”

Quotes from Gary Carson