An easy-to-back 15/2 shot on the show, but well-supported earlier, Evergreen And Red put in a nice performance to land the Mallow Apprentice Handicap at Cork in the hands of Danny Sheehy.

Successful handler Noel Meade saw his other runner, Grey Angel withdrawn after playing up at the start, but Evergreen And Red was more than capable of representing Tu Va Stables on his own.

Fresh out of maiden company, up in trip on his first start at three, the successful Requinto gelding had no problems off a 266 day break from a lowly rating of 44.

Favourite El C Wells an eye-catcher last time, couldn’t match Evergreen And Red from over a furlong out and a length and a half eventually split them.

“Instructions were just to switch him off, as he might have been a bit keen over a mile and two. I jumped well, got the rail, and they went good and hard,” reported Sheehy.

"He travelled, switched off lovely, and then they slowed it down and Joseph’s horse (Medway) got first run on me. But I was able to gain on him very handily and he hit the line very well, so I was delighted with him.”

The Stewards informed Noel Meade, trainer that Grey Angel (GB), would have to be recertified before being declared to run from stalls again.

(TW & EM)