Corker Hill looked sure to beat favourite Long Journey Home when heading him a furlong and a half out, but the latter eventually justified his market position in the Ladbrokes Claiming Race at Dundalk.

Long Journey Home and Billy Lee were in determined form down the rail and they got back up close home for a neck win. The other big player, Shukhov finished off well to be three parts of a length off the first two in third.

Long Journey Home was running for the Michael Butler stable for the first time here and the County Kilkenny trainer said: "I don't know too much about the horse as I only have him about a month but he stayed at it well for an old horse like him.

"Maybe we could find something similar, and it's possible that he could go back over hurdles if the ground picked up a bit."

The winner was claimed for €7,000 by Raymond Deveraux from Rathcormack, Co. Wexford.

(AM & EM)