Grey horse Icy Reply leads over the last in Cork© Photo Healy Racing
Icy Reply showed a good turn of foot to land the opening three mile maiden hurdle on Cork’s card.
The four-year-old Hernando filly ran third in a two and a half mile maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe last-time out, when beaten half a length. This step up in trip saw her in an even better light. Polish Partisan the 6/5 favourite, was pushed along in mid-division as the field raced towards the third last. The other market principal, Easter Hunt soon dropped out of contention as Icy Reply worked her way through the pack.
She got her head in front at the second last and quickly asserted. A mistake at the final hurdle didn’t halt her progress as she scooted home by five lengths at 7/1.
Polish Partisan kept on for pressure to grab second. This was his third runner-up finish in-a-row. Jimmy Shan who was always close to the pace, came home third at 12/1.
Winning jockey Mark Enright said: “She travelled and jumped great throughout. Her only mistake was at the last. She was entitled to win with all her allowances. The step up in trip helped and she should improve.”
Icy Reply carried 10-11. in a race where all the other horses were due to carry 11-12 before any jockeys' claims were factored in. She was the only filly in the field.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
