Moscow back to form Moscow Express bounced back from a rare below-par run at Down Royal to land the Morris Oil Chase at Clonmel today in the hands of Shay Barry.Trained locally by the newly-married Frances Crowley, the nine-year-old proved too quick for the odds-on favourite Micko`s Dream who had looked to be travelling like a winner rounding the last bend after Moscow Express took up the running three out from Ferbet Junior.Champion jockey Ruby Walsh appeared to have a double handful on the downhill run to the straight, but the 4-6 favourite did not produce what his rider appeared to expect in the soft ground and was unable to get on terms with Moscow Express (5-1) who prevailed by two and a half lengths.Micko`s Dream was all the rage in the market, being taken from evens to 4-6, but he failed to reverse Gowran Park placings on this occasion behind Moscow Express.This was a disappointment to his backers and the prison officers who formed the Sport Racing Club and have had plenty of profit in the past with the favourite.Dorans Pride, who had won the Morris Oil Chase for the past four years, was an enforced absentee because of injury, but his trainer, Michael Hourigan, was on the mark earlier in the meeting with Mr Sneaky Boo (10-1) in the Powers Gold Label Handicap Hurdle.David Casey, who failed to get in a blow at Moscow Express aboard Puget Blue, had better luck half-an-hour later when he booted the 100-30 favourite Nearly A Gimme to the front in the closing stages of the Morris Oil Handicap Hurdle.It was a victory for the Charlie Swan stable and foiled a gamble on the runner-up Tobeornotobe.
