Wolf Prince, right, gets the measure of Dysart Diamond© Photo Healy Racing
Just the three horses went to post for the two and a quarter mile hurdle in Puchestown and it was Wolf Prince who beat the Willie Mullins pair. Koshari the 11/4 outsider of three, took the field along and had stablemate Dysart Diamond in close attendance approaching the final half mile.
Dysart Diamond, the 5/4 favourite, was on terms two out and soon moved ahead, however, Wolf Prince covered his move and drew upsides on the home bend.
The pair were level at the last but in the final furlong Wolf Prince (7/4) took a marginal advantage under James O'Sullivan and kept on best to increase it to three parts of a length close home.
“I'm delighted with that. He's lost his way and only really came back to himself in the last month and ran well in Listowel," Gavin Cromwell said.
“I didn't know whether to run him here as he was wrong at the weights with a couple. The handicapper is probably going to penalise us for it but it's great to win a race with him again.
“I really don't know where we go now. I thought he wasn't greatly handicapped before and he's probably going to be worse now so it just limits his options.
“He's been running well in those small field conditions races and there are a few of them through the winter that he can go for. Something similar to that race today.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
