Morris upbeat after First Lieutenant defeat Mouse Morris is far from despondent after seeing his star performer First Lieutenant suffer an odds-on reverse at Cork yesterday. The six-year-old was a dual Grade One winner during his novice hurdling campaign and made a fine start to his career over fences when scoring at Tipperary. But he failed to follow up at Cork, going down by a nose to De Valira in a thrilling finish. Morris feels things conspired against the chestnut in the two-and-a-half mile contest and believes the experience will not be lost on him. "There's not a bother on him this morning and it's obviously disappointing to get beaten, but I'm not at all disappointed in the horse," said Morris. "Things just weren't right for him from start to finish. There was no pace on early and then the horse in front fell. "That left us in the lead and he's idle in front - he just started walking. "But it's all experience for him and the winner has some decent form and is three years older than our horse. "Two and a half miles round Cork is a bit quick for him as well and he'll be a better horse on a more galloping track. "We'll just try to find him something similar before stepping him up for something better."
