Pushaq maintained his winner-a-year ratio at Gowran today as the Anthony McCann trained gelding landed the Kilkenny Apprentice Handicap (div 2), under jockey Robbie Downey.

The son of Roderic O'Connor's two previous wins were gained on the all-weather at Wolverhampton in 2016 and '17 and following today's breakthrough success for the year, trainer McCann said “we always thought a lot of him and he finally did it on grass for us, and in Ireland!

“He's always worked well enough to produce a performance like that. I told Robbie to keep it simple, break, get to the front as your drawn well and he should do the rest himself.

“He loves being out in front and his ears were pricked turning in; I knew he was a winner turning in.

“Robbie gave him a very good ride. He's riding out one day a week for us and it's great to give young lads like that an opportunity.

“He's probably an all-weather horse but at the same time he turned his form around when I gave him a run over hurdles. I didn't think he stayed the two miles and that's the reason we brought him back to the mile and seven furlongs.

“He might get another spin over hurdles and if not he'll go to Dundalk. He has plenty of speed and maybe we should keep him on the level, it's less trouble.”

Quotes from Gary Carson