Class follows up for Hassett

He Is Top Class followed up on his win last month at Roscommon as he took the Leo McMorrow Handicap Hurdle under Shane Shortall for Donie Hassett.

The six-year-old son of Quws got off the mark on his twenty-fifth career start at Roscommon and he went up just four pound in the handicap for that success.

Having started at 3/1 this morning he proved easy to back, opening on-course at 6’s before going off an 11/2 chance.

After racing in second throughout he improved to lead before two out and despite being strongly pressed from before the last he battled gamely under pressure, going on to score by a length and three parts at the line. The Yellow Bin (9/2jfav) finished second under Barry Geraghty for Stephen Mahon while Via Del Corso (12/1) was a further half a length back in third under Jonathan Burke for David Kelly. Sean Airgead was the other joint-favourite and he finished a well-beaten fifth under Davy Russell for Mark McNiff.

Donie Hassett said afterwards: "When he hit the front he idled a bit but when they came to him he went on again. It was a middling race, and he might go next to Tramore."

The winner is bred by Donagh Killilea. His father Mark, former TD and MEP, was present afterwards along with former Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee