FOR the second year in succession the Listed Cork Stakes went to Willie McCreery’s Downforce who again excelled on his beloved heavy ground to make all the running under Billy Lee.

In 2017 this race was run at Cork but the switch to Navan made no difference to the son of Fast Company who upstaged the odds-on Son Of Rest with the pair finishing well clear of the two other runners. Downforce (5/2) came here off a somewhat disappointing return in a Naas handicap last month but the switch to front-running tactics made all the difference to the Donal Finnan-owned six-year-old.

Downforce dictated the tempo from the outset and with over a furlong out he had a lead of a couple of lengths over Son Of Rest who had started to come under pressure. The latter came home well over the last 150 yards but Downforce had the race in safe keeping and finished with a length and a quarter to spare.

“He just loves this ground. He’s going to have the summer off when it dries out so while it stays like this we will keep him going,” declared McCreery who was contemplating a crack at yesterday’s Group 3 Gladness Stakes for his charge. “He was disappointing at Naas but I think that we were disappointing him by holding him up and the tactics were right today. As he’s getting older he’s getting wiser and he’s minding himself so we can keep him busy.”

Johnny Murtagh registered his first success of 2018 as Urban Beat (7/2) made a victorious return from 11 months off in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. The Red Jazz colt, who carries the colours of the trainer’s major patrons Fitzwilliam Racing, showed marked progress from his unplaced debut behind Beckford last May.

From over a furlong out it looked as though Shane Foley’s mount would find a way past the 84-rated Pretty Boy Floyd and he got on top inside the distance for a cosy length success.

“Gordon Elliott asked me last year could he bring some two-year-olds to work with some of mine and two came up well ahead of the rest – Beckford and this horse. So you can imagine how I felt coming off the stand after this horse’s first run,” commented Murtagh, who boasted a terrific strike rate with his juvenile team last year.

“He was just big and backward but I think he could be a nice sprinter. He’s got size and scope and I’d hope there’s more to come. He got through that ground but Shane said he didn’t really appreciate it.”

COMMANDING

The Matthew Smith-trained Warnaq (4/1) put her recent runs over hurdles to good use as she posted a commanding victory in the mile handicap. The Arcano filly, who had contested maiden hurdles won by horses the calibre of Sayo and Veneer Of Charm, won her maiden over a mile and half last November. However, the conditions were always going to make this mile an exacting test and Warnaq dominated from the front for Wayne Lordan. She asserted with over a furlong to run to defeat the top-weight and favourite, Inscribe, by half a dozen lengths.

“It was a worry coming back in trip but she was fit from hurdling and the ground made it a good test today,” said Smith, whose father Kevin owns the daughter of Arcano. “We thought she might have done better over hurdles but she was keeping good company in her maidens. She might stay going on the flat for the moment.”

Another one to relish the conditions was For Pleasure who trounced his rivals in the 10-furlong three-year-old handicap. The James Barrett inmate was as big as 20/1 earlier in the day but was returned a well-backed 8/1 shot and he showed that support was well founded. He led with less than half a mile to run and proceeded to open up a good lead which the chasing pack never looked likely to bridge. Rory Cleary’s mount crossed the line with six and a half lengths to spare.

“He’s a tough horse and I knew he’s stay galloping. I felt going back left handed with a stiff finish would suit him well and in time he should make a smashing jumper,” declared Barrett whose wife, Orla, owns the winner.

IMPRESSIVE

Ger Lyons and Colin Keane maintained their impressive early season momentum as Flat To The Max (6/4) made a successful debut in the mile maiden. The son of Maxios was always in the front rank for Colin Keane and he showed a fine attitude when pressed by Zayriyan as the last furlong loomed. Flat To The Max finished out strongly to carry the day by three and three-quarter lengths.

“I didn’t know how he would handle the ground but I was hoping that the sire would help him in that regard,” said Lyons of the Sean Jones-owned gelding. “That was a good, tough performance and he’ll appreciate moving up to 10 furlongs and getting on better ground.”

A back-to-form Sors won for the first time since August 2016 as he shrugged aside top weight in the five-furlong handicap. This six-year-old was a second winner in as many days for trainer Andy Slattery who had his son, Andrew (16), in the saddle here.

Sors (11/2) held the outright lead from halfway and he maintained an unfaltering gallop over the last furlong and a half to keep the chasing pack at bay. At the line the Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate-owned winner had two and a half lengths to spare.

“He was wrong last year when he was lame off and on and we left him off after August. We’ll probably keep him for premier handicaps now, he should get into those off bottom weight,” remarked Slattery. “Andrew knows the horse very well. As a three-year-old this horse lost his way and at home we put Andrew on him back when he weighed just five stone and that helped to get the horse going again.”

Gavin Cromwell’s useful jumper Prospectus, who ran a couple good races in defeat on the flat last autumn, recorded a well deserved triumph in the 45-70 rated one-mile, five-furlong handicap. The five-year-old was always nicely placed for Kevin Manning and nothing could match him over the last furlong as he stayed on grittily to prevail by three and a half lengths.

The 7/2 joint-favourite carries the colours of the McAlpine Syndicate whose members include journalists Dave Keena and Denis Kirwan.

“He’s just a straight forward horse who handles that ground well. He deserved to win on the flat before now,” reflected Cromwell.

Prospectus was declared to run over hurdles at Ballinrobe yesterday.

ACTING STEWARDS

R. Dore, L. McFerran, J. Collins, P. Reynolds, P.D. Matthews

HORSE TO FOLLOW

RUNYON RATTLER (P.J. Rothwell): On his first outing since Christmas he ran well to take third in the handicap won by Prospectus and this run should set him up nicely for a return to hurdling in the coming weeks.