Christmas comes early for 'dappletart

Christmas came early for Crowsatedappletart (14/1) and his supporters today, as the Michael Winters-trained gelding landed Cork’s Follow Us On Facebook Handicap Hurdle, five days after disappointing at the same course.

Carrying the colours of Paul Mullins, Crowsatedappletart finished unplaced in a similar handicap on Sunday but today raced with the pace under 5lb claimer Gavin Brouder and took advantage of runner-up One And Only s slight final-flight error, scoring by a half-length.

Bearded Winters admitted to looking “roughed up” as he plays Fr Jack Hackett in an upcoming Oscarz fundraiser and reported “the false starts kill Crowsatedappletart as when he is then standing, he lingers a little bit.

"He was sticky over the first four hurdles today but heated up and those Kerry lads (jockey Brouder) are hard workers! We’re glad to have Gavin as a replacement when our other man Darragh O’Keeffe isn’t available.”

Regarding his four-time winner, he added “we were disappointed with the horse on Sunday but he (Brouder) came in and said another horse crossed him early on. He got away well today but holds a bit for himself.

“Everyone knows him over his odd name so this is mighty again today.”