Portrade in rude health at Cork© Photo Healy Racing
Portrade may have been 40/1 when winning last week in Bellewstown, but it will be a long time before he’s those odds again as he readily doubled up in Cork.
Ger Fox replaced Dave Crosse on the five-year-old gelding as his claim was used to offset 5lbs from the welter 12-2 he was due to carry in this two mile handicap hurdle.
He tanked along off the pace in fourth and fifth before making rapid headway to assume the lead after the fourth last hurdle.
Turning in he was still going sweetly as the others came under pressure from their jockeys. Razia and Knox’s Bridge rallied to close the gap on the leader at the second last, but Portrade merely pulled away from them and hit the line four and a quarter lengths to the good. He was returned the 3/1 favourite.
Razia on her hurdle debut, after three spins in maiden hurdles, took second at 12/1 having been 16/1 in the morning. She was two and a half lengths ahead of 14/1 shot Knox’s Bridge.
Successful trainer George Stanley said: “He was very fresh and well and I thought he had a great chance coming here. We’ll see what the handicapper does now. I’ve only two in training.”
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
