Odds-on Rock lives up to her billing The well-punted odds-on favourite Whisper Rock got the job done in the opening I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle under Kevin Power at Navan. In the silks of his father John, it got a little bit scary on the run-in for Power, but in truth Whisper Rock was always looking likely to hold off the running-on outsider Killeena House and she achieved this by half a length. The pair left the front-running second market choice, Painted Lady, all of thirteen lengths back in third. Winning trainer Philip Fenton commented: "She's a lovely mare and hopefully a bit better ground will suit her in time. "Overall her jumping was much better today as she was a bit clumsy the first day. "She's got a chasers pedigree as she's from a Jim Dreaper family. She's a fine model of a mare and she'll be kept on the go for the next six to eight weeks. "She had an easy time of it as she didn't run until Christmas. "She was bone idol there and Kevin hadn't realised that his nearest challenger was as close." (GC & EM)
