Top local rider Tommy Hazlett put the Australian jockeys well in control of the Irish vs Australia Jump Riders Challenge Series when riding a double at Morphettville, Adelaide, today.
Both Hazlett's winner started favourite. Riding Cockade he beat Barry Cash on Just Dynamite in the Jameson Irish Whiskey Chase, winning by twelve lengths and then took the Bushmills Malt Hurdle on See Reason, beating Philip Carberry by five lengths with Shane McCann third.
Haxzlett, who rode a winner over hurdles at Roscommon for Paddy Prendergast and spent some time with Limerick trainer Austin Leahy on his last visit to Ireland, said afterwards; 'That's what it is all about, beating the best Irish riders on my home pitch.'
After the second leg of the series, the Irish team fly to Melbourne to ride at Flemington on Sunday. With four meetings to go they face an uphill, but not impossible, struggle to peg back the points deficit. The Australians now lead 18 1/2 points to 9.
