Thirteenth time lucky for C'est La Mode

C'est La Mode got off the mark on the thirteen time of asking, as she took the corkracecourse.ie Mares Handicap Hurdle on just her fourth start for Tom Mullins. The six-year-old daughter of Presenting was formerly trained by Dick Donohoe and she finished second in a maiden hurdle at Thurles in January for him, her best piece of form before today. She ran a decent race on her last start behind Samantha Jones, and having opened at 7/1 this morning with Paddy Power, she opened on-course at just 9/2 before going off the 5/1 joint second favourite. After racing in mid-division she made headway in seventh before the straight and she was third three from home. She was soon sent to the front by Davy Condon and went clear from two out, coming home an easy three and a quarter length victor. Sox’s Girl went off the 4/1 favourite (7/1 this morning and from 5/1 on-course) for Arthur Goulding and Mark Enright and she finished back in second, while Quiverhill Dreamon (12/1) was a further length back in third under Roger Loughran for PJ Colville. The hat-trick seeking Akatara (6/1) completed the placings a length and three parts back in fourth under Jody McGarvey for Michael Bowe. Tom Mullins said afterwards: "She had a few ordinary runs but wasn’t dropped that much by the handicapper and she’ll probably get hit now. "She pulled up a bit lame so hopefully she will be alright. If she is ok, we might go for something similar and maybe a mares hurdle in Galway. "It’s taken us six months to get there, she is a nice mare, with a nice pedigree and she is worth more now that what I paid for her." The winner was purchased for just €1,500 at the Goresbridge Sales back in July of 2010 by her former owner. Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes