Carrignagapple jumps the last under Conor Murphy© Photo Healy Racing
Carrignagapple provided owner/trainer Cathy Hamilton with her first Irish racecourse success, as he landed a gamble in the last at Cork, the McCarthy Plant & Agri Sales Hunters Chase.
Twice successful 'between the flags' last season, the son of Apple Tree returned to action at Ballinaboola on Sunday last, finishing fourth in the race won by Some Are Lucky.
Available at 25/1 in early shows, the seven-year-old touched 10s on-course, before eventually going off at just 5/1 under Conor Murphy.
Having raced mainly in second, the bay victor was pushed along from four out, with his rider losing his whip after the next.
He got to the front shortly after the penultimate obstacle, and stretched clear on the run-in, coming home nine lengths to the good. Glorious Galway (33/1) finished second under Richie Deegan for Declan McNamara, while the front-running Different Spot faded in the closing stages, and eventually came home in third. Alpha Male was sent off the 5/4 favourite, and he was a very disappointing last of the five finishers.
Hamilton said afterwards: "I used to have a permit in England and trained a few winners there but that is my first winner here. I moved over here five and a half years ago and I brought him with me thinking I would sell him as a three year old but nobody really wanted him!
"He is homebred and I kept him and trained him. I'm originally from Dorset and my elder daughter Katie works for Colin Tizzard. That's where I grew up and we were surrounded by big yards so you just have to up the game.
"He is my first runner on the track in Ireland and I'm based in Mullinahone and milk cows for a living; I milked this morning but got out of milking tonight!"
STEWARDS REPORTS
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Macs Legend trained by Gerard Kelleher, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Alpha Male (FR), trained by Peter Maher, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
