Cozone and James Smith negotiate the last© Photo Healy Racing
Cozone (100/30f) returned to form in winning for trainer Matthew Smith and his son jockey James Smith today, as the seven-year-old landed the Clonmel's Slievenamon Claiming Hurdle and later went unclaimed.
Rated 110, the gelding improved from mid-field to lead after the third-last and, in the home straight, went clear to cosily defeat similarly-rated runner-up Wild Shot with 109-rated Mister Wilson finishing third.
Jockey Smith stated “he loved that ground, jumped really well and in that company was well in at the weights. He jumped himself to the front going down the back straight and while I got there sooner than I wanted, he stuck at it well. I thought we were going plenty fast enough but he kept pulling out.
“This is the only good race he has run since winning at Listowel last September and he has been really disappointing this year but hopefully is on the up now.”
Runner-up Wild Shot was later the subject of a friendly claim while sixth-placed Blue Reed was subsequently claimed for €4,000 by trainer Cian Collins.
