King High (right) jumps the last just ahead of Vintage Supreme (centre) and Derrinlanna© Photo Healy Racing
King High bounced back to form as he recorded his seventh career success, in the Guinness Opportunity Handicap Hurdle, under Mikey Butler for Eoin Doyle.
The son of King’s Theatre last tasted victory at Cork in October of 2011, winning a handicap chase on that occasion.
On his fifteen run since, the nine-year-old gelding was friendless in the betting and having opened at 13/2 this morning with Paddy Power, he went from 9s out to 12s on-course.
Turning for home, the B A Syndicate owned bay improved to dispute the lead on the outside, and he hit the front at the last going on to score by two lengths. Derrinlanna (6/1) ran well to finish second under Shane Butler for Peter Fahey, while Vintage Supreme (16/1) was a neck back in third under Rob Jones for John Hayes. Bottle Rattler was 7/1 this morning with Paddy Power, but he opened on-course at 4/1, touching 5s before going off the 9/2 joint-favourite.
He finished fourth, while the other joint-favourite, Father Jack finished back in fifth.
Mikey Butler said afterwards: "It was a little bit further today and we dropped him in. He has a good bit of ability but he’s had his problems. I think we have him right now."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
