Well Set Up follows Listed win with Grade 3 success at Cork

Well Set Up (2/1 fav, from 7/2 in the morning) was well-fancied to repeat last month’s course-and-distance success in the Grade 3 Kerry Group Stayer’s Novice Hurdle and duly obliged in the hands of Ricky Doyle (a double on the card after Clemencia in the first).

She was always handy, led entering the straight and asserted two out. Steadied into the last, that decision could have backfired as both Alpine Cobra (8/1) and Vis La Toi closed on her early on the run-in.

Doyle’s mount found more to win going away, despite drifting left, by two and a half lengths from the former, with Vis La Toi just a further nose away in third.

After a stewards’ enquiry, the placing remained unaltered and Well Set Up was confirmed as the winner of this Graded contest, after her Listed success last month.

The progressive daughter of Gold well now has a career record of four wins from eight starts, having previously won a Down Royal bumper and a maiden hurdle at Roscommon.

Betfair introduced her at 40/1 for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

“She is a very tough mare and is an out-and-out stayer, said winning trainer Mark Fahey.

“We were a little bit worried because they went no gallop but she also showed a turn of foot to win and I'm delighted.

"She is tough and grinds it out and is a hardy bit of stuff.

"There is the Dorans Pride Novice Hurdle for her next at Limerick over Christmas or else she could for the 2m4f Grade 1 novice at Naas in January but she'll tell us where to go.

"It is a good boost for her owner/breeder Jean Corrigan who couldn't make it down today."