Road To Riches blunders at the last at Cork© Photo Healy Racing
Despite blundering badly at the last, Road To Riches recovered to land the odds and maintain his unbeaten record in the Grade 3 Cork Stayer Novice Hurdle over three miles.
The 2/5 favourite didn’t look entirely comfortable in second place to Dushrembrandt coming to the second last. A good jump there brought him level and back on the bridle.
However, he ploughed through the last with his nose hitting the turf. Paul Carberry managed to gather him together and he was back on the bridle passing the winning post to win by two and three parts of a length.
Trainer Noel Meade said: “Paul said he was a bit free early on and when he dropped him back he became almost too relaxed.
“It was a bit uncharacteristic to see him making a mistake. He got lit up beforehand when he was battling him.
“He did what we came here to do. He’s a a chaser in the making for next season and now we know he stays three miles.
“The Dorans Pride Hurdle at Limerick might be a possibility. There’s a race in Naas in January as well.”
Dushrembrandt, who had taken over the lead from Beachdale Lad on the home turn approaching three out, also made a mistake at the last with Phillip Enright doing well not to be unseated. He kept on for second at 16/1.
This was Road To Riches’ fourth win in-a-row (one point-to-point, one bumper and two hurdles).
Stan James cut him from 33/1 to 25/1 for the Neptune Investment Novices' Hurdle and from 20/1 to 16/1 for the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival.
(Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes)
