Hardy Bloke and Conor Clarke © Photo Healy Racing
Emmet Mullins' Hardy Bloke overcame some sloppy jumping to run out a convincing winner of the three-mile rated novice hurdle at Wexford.
Conor Clarke made all on the 10/3 shot but the Rail Link gelding wasn't great at several flights on the way round.
Despite getting in tight to the second last the six-year-old soon asserted and had the race in the bag as he flicked through the final flight, going on to post a nine-and-a-half length win over Jumping Jet
The winner was taking a bit of a drop in class having contested two very competitive handicap hurdles on his last couple of outings.
Mullins said afterwards:- "He is a lovely big horse. We bought him a year or two ago and he actually failed the vet for his wind, so that was always going to be a bit of a worry down here this evening. We got away with it anyway, it's wet ground and they are getting through it.
"He had two nice runs under his belt and they were probably a bit close together. I probably regret sending him to Haydock so quickly, but he's had 40 odd days since and he seems to have come back into himself. It was a nice performance and it's great to give Conor a winner, he is a great part of the team at home and I'm delighted for him.
"He has his own way of getting from A to B. Conor was asking should he have done this or that but on that ground and over three miles, there is only so much you can help the horse. He doesn't really help himself no matter what way you set him up. A to B, get in and pop it, that's his way of doing it and we'll leave him at it.
"I know it's probably not too enticing for anyone to be going out over fences on him but he is handicapped over them and has got around the likes of Leopardstown before. He'll mix it now between hurdles and fences."
(Quotes by Donal Murphy)
