Norah Starr and Denis Hogan are clear over the last© Photo Healy Racing
Norah Starr twice successful on the Flat two years ago, opened her jumping account in no uncertain fashion when routing the opposition in the Supermacs Ballinrobe & Claremorris Handicap Hurdle.
Trained and ridden by Denis Hogan, the six-year-old mare swept to the front between the final two flights and quickly shot clear before the last.
Hogan could afford to ease the 3/1 favourite right down on the run-in and still had six and a half lengths to spare over Rolling Rocket the subject of strong on-course support from 14/1 into 8/1. News Show (8/1) completed the placings another length and three quarters adrift in third.
Hogan said, “To be honest I wasn’t going to run her as I got a text this morning saying the ground was heavy. Then when we finished riding out I saw there were six horses taken out of the race, so we said we’d let her take her chance. I got another text to say it was soft before we left home.
“It wasn’t a great contest but she deserved to win it, and it’s good to see her back to her best. She disappointed me a bit at Sligo but probably needed that run.”
Additional reporting by Donal Murphy
