FIRST strike of the new flat campaign at Cork last Sunday went to the Willie McCreery/Billy Lee partnership and their representative Downforce, who relished the underfoot conditions to register an impressive 12-length victory in the Listed Cork Stakes.

Recent Naas winner Gymkhana was the one for money here but he did not handle the heavy ground and finished last behind the 3/1 winner. The favourite was subsequently reported to have a slight abrasion on his off-fore fetlock but was otherwise post race normal when examined by the Turf Club veterinary officer. His jockey stated that he did not act on the ground.

Downforce, owned by Maynooth native Donal Finnan, who now lives in New Jersey, kicked for home well outside the furlong marker. Stretching clear of the opposition, he was not extended to collect by 12 lengths at the expense of his Leopardstown rival Penny Pepper.

“He loves that ground and goes through it,” said McCreery. “He’s improving, but the ground is barely raceable and he was the only one who could handle it. I wouldn’t ever try him on firm ground but we’ll keep stepping him up and this was his Derby today. We have to make hay with him early on and in the autumn.”

The trainer doubled up via 6/1 shot Elm Grove who gave 17 year-old Nathan Crosse from Cahir his first winner at the third attempt in the Follow Us On Twitter Apprentice Handicap. The rider, who is still at school, spends the summer and weekends with McCreery and was seen to good effect in bringing John Malone’s homebred winner home half a length in front of Nanabad.

Said his master: “He’s a lovely rider and very mannerly, as well. John and Anita (Malone) are at home, waiting on Glimmer Of Peace to foal. That’s Arcano’s second winner of the day (Hansian Prince was the other) and she’s a hardy mare. You have to make hay with her on this type of surface and she’s in again at Leopardstown on Wednesday.”

STACK’S WINNERS

Fozzy Stack continued the good start he has made to his training career when matching McCreery’s feat in sending out a brace of winners through the well-backed 4/11 favourite Son Of Rest and debutante Angel Island. The former was the first to click when carrying the Cork colours of his Malahide owner Brian Parker, originally from Midleton, to a decisive all-the-way six and a half-length win under Chris Hayes in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

The three-year-old, who was making his seasonal reappearance, ended his juvenile season with a fourth placing in the National Stakes and was returning to the minimum trip.

His handler said: “He was entitled to win on his form and wasn’t drilled for today - I just thought the ground would be testing here and he wouldn’t kill himself in front.

“He’ll probably go for the six-furlong listed race in Navan that Washington DC won last year.”

A trip to Navan is also on the cards for the Rebels With A Cause Syndicate’s newcomer Angel Island who followed up for Stack and Hayes in the Like Us On Facebook Fillies Maiden. The 100/30 chance travelled well throughout the race and was pushed out from the furlong marker to account for joint-favourite Dabulena by two lengths.

The So You Think filly, a first winner in Ireland for her sire, joined Stack from David Wachman and her trainer commented: “She’s a big filly and I didn’t know much about her because I hadn’t done much with her but her work has been solid all spring.

“She’ll have no problem getting a furlong or two further and she’ll probably go for the Listed Salsabil Stakes.”

MURTAGH’S TEAM

Johnny Murtagh, who has a team of 35 horses to go to war with this season, was a relieved man following Maximus Daia’s length and a half success in the Ticket Sakes Online @corkracecourse.ie Maiden confined to three-year-olds.

Ballydoyle hot-pot Venezuala was all the rage for this event, but he floundered in the testing conditions and had to settle for fourth spot behind the Connor King-ridden 25/1 outsider, who is owned and was bred by Ballygallon Stud Limited.

Murtagh commented: “I thought he was a nice little horse but was a bit baffled by the way he didn’t handle Dundalk. I was looking forward to getting him back on grass but it wasn’t ideal for him today, probably a bit heavy, but he handled it. He’s not big, but he’s very strong. It was just a relief to see him do on the track what he’s been doing at home.”

Ger Lyons may have drawn a blank earlier in the day with Gymkhana and Mollie The Moo, but he still managed to come away with a winner, thanks to soft ground specialist Hansian Prince who pulled out more under pressure from Colin Keane to land the spoils in the Easter Festival April 15th-17th Rated Race by a length from Elusive Beauty.

Vincent Gaul and his wife Geraldine, from Oldtown in Co Dublin, are the proud owners of this 9/4 scorer. The trainer’s brother Shane remarked: “The key to this horse is soft ground – he loves it. Any horse who’s half-thinking about it on that ground won’t go through with it but Colin was good on him.

“He wore blinkers when he won last year but we didn’t want to put them on him first time at Naas and it was a good call to put them back on today. He was bought from Katie McGivern at the breeze-up sales and was well-recommended. He’s rated 82.”

Colm O’Donoghue, who was fortunate to escape injury when his mount Master Speaker clipped heels in the opener and came down, bounced back to claim the concluding Mallow 45-65 Handicap for his boss Jessica Harrington aboard Anamoine Limited’s 7/1 shot Make It Hurrah.

However, the two and three-quarter-length winner had to survive a stewards’ enquiry into possible interference between himself and the runner-up Keep Believing in the closing stages, deemed to be accidental, before the winner alright signal could be given.

“He had the benefit of his comeback run at Dundalk,” said O’Donoghue. “And Jessie’s horses are in great form and running well.” Make It Hurrah was making it an across-the-board treble for Harrington and her jockey reflected: “It’s nice to have our first winner of the turf season.”

Acting Stewards

S. McDonogh, P. Coveney, M.J. Doyle, H. Hynes.

HORSE TO FOLLOW

ANGEL ISLAND (J.A. Stack) There was a lot to like about this filly’s performance in capturing the fillies’ maiden. A half-sister to American Grade 1 winner Tuscan Evening, she is sure to show considerable improvement.