Stack's Bear justifies favouritism under Heffernan Fozzy Stack and Seamie Heffernan teamed up with Bodhi Bear to win the Buy Your Tickets Now For The Easter Festival Rated Race at Cork. Sent off a well supported 11/10f, the Starspangledbanner colt recorded the second win of his short career to date. Successful over 6f at Navan in October, the three-year-old had to make full use of his proven stamina over this shorter distance in order to land the spoils. Tracking the leader in the initial stages as Smoke Them Out led under James Ryan, Heffernan came through to lead over two furlongs out. Strongly pressed by both Town And Country and Likedbymike at the furlong pole, the eventual winner ground out a hard fought success by one-and-a-quarter lengths. Winning trainer Fozzy Stack said: "He didn't get seven furlongs last year so rather than trying to stretch him out, we decided to keep sprinting. "We'll see what Mr O'Gorman's (handicapper) opinion is and there's a Premier Handicap at Naas before the Punchestown festival and a Listed race at Navan for him, hopefully he will make into that level. "He won on easyish ground at Navan but wouldn't want soft." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.
