Miss Corby lands significant gamble in Ballinrobe opener The Mouse Morris trained Miss Corby landed quite a significant gamble when getting up on the run-in to win the opening Bowers Bar & Restaurant Mares Maiden Hurdle at Ballinrobe. Unplaced on all four previous starts, the daughter of Walk In The Park was clearly expected to appreciate the return to a sounder surface this afternoon. Available at 18/1 when the market opened, the five-year-old was supported all the way down to 11/4f by the off of this contest. Although soon prominent in the first half dozen, the plunge looked like going astray when jockey Harry Swan was hard at work early on the final circuit. With a group of four having broken away, Swan was tasked with bridging the gap back in fifth. Leader Mile End was challenged by Pure Logic at the second last but a less than fluent jump by the latter slightly halted her momentum. However, the Shark Hanlon trained mare soon recovered to take over in front, before another poor jump at the final flight opened the door for her rivals. Miss Corby, who went third at the last hurdle, was soon second, throwing down a serious challenge to Pure Logic. Getting to the lead over 100 yards out, the eventual winner went on to score by one-and-a-quarter lengths. “She missed the break and missed the first. It wasn’t the plan but he didn’t panic and plan B worked,” said Mouse Morris. “The better ground helped big time. She ran well first time but then ran into all the soft ground and it just didn’t happen for her, she can be a bit buzzy as well.” Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
