Landofhopeandglory and Mark Walsh come to lead from Avenir D'Une Vie and Rachael Blackmore© Photo Healy Racing
There was a second winning favourite in as many races at Cork with Landofhopeandglory (7/4 into 6/4) doing the business in the UCC Horse Racing Society Hurdle.
Second market choice Dr Mikey (5/2 into 7/4) was the one to give the J P McManus-owned and Joseph O'Brien-trained Landofhopeandglory most to do. Two lengths eventually split them after the Mark Walsh-ridden victor had taken over from the last.
"He thinks about it a bit and I'd say he was in two minds coming up the straight whether he'd go through with it or not but the good jump at the last helped," said McManus racing manager Frank Berry.
"He thinks about it a bit over fences too but today's race was a lovely race to find and he can go back over fences now. He has been a little disappointing over fences but we'll see where we end up now.
"He likes things his own way but it was lovely to win another race with him."
P. Townend, rider of Dolciano Dici (FR) trained by W.P. Mullins, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount carried the top of a hurdle with him in running for a time, after making a mistake.
(TW & EM)
