Edward O'Grady's Polar Vista completed a hat-trick of wins in the Dunadry Hurdle to provide Garrett Cotter with an opening race double at Down Royal yesterday when he stayed on gamely in the testing ground to defeat market leader One Night Out.
'After last Sunday I'm relieved to be back in the winners enclosure,' said O'Grady, who added on Polar Vista, 'He has improved and lets hope he keeps improving. He holds an entry for the Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle and I'd say his owners (BG Partnership Ltd) might want to go.'
Reflecting on some of Sunday's disappointments at Leopardstown, the Ballynonty handler reported, 'Turtleback was gashed in front and behind and is very sore and feeling a bit sorry for himself. He came out of the race very poorly and got some knock at the second last. Sheltering is fine and will probably run at Fairyhouse later this month.'
Earlier, Cotter teamed up with World Wide Web to provide Curragh-based trainer John Mulhern with his first success since last August when he justified odds-on favouritism at the expense of Huncheon Siss in the opening 2m4f maiden hurdle.
Big-And-Bold also justified strong market support when coming home eased down under Conor O'Dwyer in the Winning Post Cafi Beginners Chase. Owned by David Stevenson, father-in-law of trainer Ger Lyons, the six-year-old grey is 'unlikely to run' at Cheltenham and will be aimed instead for a valuable novice chase at Ayr in April.
Pass The Leader, carrying the colours of brothers Tommy and ex-Dublin footballer Cathal Hanley, relished the three mile journey when running out the winner of the Moira Handicap Hurdle in the hands of Paul Carberry while Belfast-born rider Neil Mulholland teamed up with Definition to easily land the two mile handicap chase, a first winner at the track for Sligo trainer Mick McElhone.
