McNamara hopeful of big run from Mossey Declan McNamara is hopeful of a big run from Mossey Joe, as he crosses the Irish Sea for the first time, to compete in the Foxhunters Champion Hunters' Chase at Stratford on Friday evening. The now ten-year-old son of Moscow Society, was being tipped for the top in his early days, but a heavy fall at the Punchestown Festival in 2012, along with his tendency to race keenly, did him no favours. After some disappointing efforts in August of last year, he got back to winning ways in the Tetratema Cup at Gowran in March before following up at Cork in April. He only narrowly won at Cork but he couldn’t have been more impressive on his next outing, brushing his rivals aside with ease at Killarney, winning by twenty-eight lengths. He appeared to settle for the first time at Killarney, and his trainer now sends him across to Stratford in the hope he can continue on the upward curve. "He is travelling across on the ferry from Dublin tonight. He recovered from the Killarney run very well, better than after his previous two runs," McNamara said this afternoon. He added: "He is certainly more relaxed at home and a year ago we wouldn’t have even dreamt of bringing him to England as he was too highly strung. "It’s a bit of a fact finding mission with the travelling, but if he settles, drinks and eats well I’d be hopeful of a very big run. "Salsify is obviously the one to beat. He won it very impressively last year and he will like the ground but so will our fellow. Damien Skehan will ride him."
