Despite proving friendless with punters, Sams Profile took the opener at Cork this afternoon, the Matchbook Time To Move Over Maiden Hurdle.

As short as 3/1 in early shows, the Mouse Morris trained Black Sam Bellamy gelding opened on-course at 4s, before going off a 6/1 chance in the colours of owner Michael O'Flynn.

Having raced mainly in second under Andrew Ring, the bay victor came with his effort three out and led from the next, keeping on well from there to score by four lengths. Eclair De Beaufeu also proved very easy to back. The Gordon Elliott trained gelding was as short as evens in early shows, opening on-course at 2/1, before going off a 5/1 chance.

He still managed to run a fine race to finish second under Keith Donoghue, with 33/1 chance Let The Heirs Walk another sixteen lengths back in third. Email Rose was the gamble of the race, and was backed from 3/1 into 5/4 favouritism on-course. Beaten in third at the time, he fell at the last.

Morris said afterwards: "He's a nice horse, a good horse, but wants it softer. We won't run him until a bit of rain comes and will look for a winners of one somewhere.

"He is a next year horse really and it looks like stepping up in trip won't be a problem to him."

STEWARDS REPORTS

R.A. Doyle, rider of Storm Flight trained by Conor O'Dwyer, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount never travelled and jumped poorly.

C.D. Maxwell, rider of Brazen Bay trained by John O. Clifford, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount made a respiratory noise.

J.C. Canavan, rider of Exit To The West trained by Robert Tyner, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount never travelled and jumped poorly.

B. Hayes, rider of Presenting Point trained by Eoghan O'Grady, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount ran free early on, got into the bottom of the first few hurdles, was further back than he would have liked and stayed on onepaced in the closing stages.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes