Ice Cold Soul and Nina Carberry see off the challenge of Akito in the bumper at Cork © Photo Healy Racing
Ice Cold Soul justified odds-on favouritism in the bumper at Cork, the Paddy Power Cork Grand National November 2nd (Pro/Am) Flat Race, providing his trainer Noel Meade with an across the card double (won the sixth at Naas with Harvey Logan .
The four-year-old son of Stowaway, who is a half-brother to Western Leader, won a point-to-point on his debut Belclare in March when trained by Gordon Elliott.
Sent off the 9/10 favourite today the Gigginstown House Stud owned victor was settled in mid-division by Nina Carberry.
He took closer order approaching the straight and he soon came with his challenge on the outer.
He hit the front under two furlongs out before kept on well under pressure inside the final furlong, going on to score by a length and three parts. Akito ran well to finish second at 4/1 (was 12/1 this morning) under Kevin Power for Philip Fenton while See Me Here was a further seven lengths back in third under Johnny Barry for Denis Cullen at 5/1.
Nina Carberry said afterwards: “He is a good horse and he will definitely improve a bit. He couldn’t have done that any better and he is one to look forward to.
“He won a point-to-point so he should do well jumping.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
