CORK Grand National winner Sir Bob maintained his unbeaten record at Cork on Thursday when the veteran chaser reverted to hurdles to register a third course win in the Social Packs For Easter Festival Handicap Hurdle.

Carrying the colours of J.P. McManus was jockey Mark Walsh, who raced Sir Bob (8/1) prominently before staying well to hold four-timer chasing Aodhan May by a length and a half.

Winning trainer Robert Tyner was delighted with the 12-year-old and reported: “We are thrilled to get that as we were worried about running him back so soon after Limerick. When the ground was like this I said I’d keep going and three miles suited. The minute he jumped the third hurdle I knew he was on song and was loving it.

“He really likes it around here, seems to love the hurdles and won here three years ago when it was like the river. He’ll probably go for the ‘three-mile-six’ handicap chase at the Punchestown Festival now as he finished second in it last year. There is a three-mile hurdle here during Easter but it is 0-116 and he might be out of it now.”

McManus and Walsh were earlier out of luck in the opening Welcome To Student Raceday Maiden Hurdle as front-running Jeaniemacaroney was headed on the run-in by winner Immutable (7/2), under Danny Mullins.

It was a return to form for the Ger Kervick-owned 92-rated flat performer and afterwards winning trainer Joe Murphy’s son and namesake said: “Over the winter we had dreams of him ending up at Cheltenham, in the Fred Winter possibly, but we were very disappointed with his run at Fairyhouse and gave him a little break.

“He’s obviously a nice horse on the flat and hopefully will progress away in this grade. We have no plans as to where we’ll go now, but Galway or Listowel would be big on the agenda.

“We’ll be looking for a good handicap on the flat for him but really it will be autumn for some of the nice staying handicaps, and we’ll tip away with him over hurdles for the summer. Aintree might suit him, but we’ll see as he’s a relatively inexperienced horse.”

Double

Mullins completed a maiden hurdles double in the following Follow Us On Social Media-titled race, riding 14/1 chance Freemans Bay to win on jumps debut for trainer Sean Byrne and owner Paula Murphy.

Afterwards Sean Byrne junior reported: “He is a fine big horse, is a chaser in the making and his bumper form was very good. He finished behind a champion bumper winner the last day so we thought we had a good chance.

“He was backward and we tried running him at five but he was too weak and said we’d wait. It has been worth waiting for though and he’ll go chasing next season. We’ll either look for a novice hurdle now or see what mark he gets and work from there.”

The Longines Fegentri Handicap Hurdle provided a memorable first win for amateur jockey Alice Power on the Paul Kiely-trained Thedancingfarrier.

Held up in mid-field, the 12-year-old made headway early in the home straight and led on the run-in, before finishing well to beat Ivane by a length and three-quarters.

A delighted Power reported: “I have ridden him in the past and he had a heavier weight when I rode him at Naas and has come back down the handicap now.

“My father, Walter Power, trained track and point-to-point horses and is farming now and I started off with ponies and then riding racehorses at home. I ride out for Paul in the mornings and David Kiely in the evening.”

Winning trainer Kiely added: “That is mighty and Alice deserved it as she works hard. She is very dedicated and rides and schools our young horses as well. I’m delighted for her as she is with us every morning as we are busy enough with point-to-pointers. She is very good to us.

“The horse is 12 but there is still life left in him and for some reason he seems to love it around here.”

Clonbury Bridge (20/1) led home five other Punchestown Festival-qualifiers to win the Full Circle Series Qualifier Handicap Hurdle, for trainer Philip Dempsey, jockey Donagh Meyler and the CJ & T Syndicate.

It was the eight-year-old’s first success since October 2022 and Meyler reported: “They went a frantic gallop up front and he had a nice blow turning in so I kind of rode him for third (place) or fourth but once I filled him up, he went again from the back of the second last.

“Philip gave me confidence - as always, and it was a good performance.”

THE concluding bumper provided an impressive winner as the Declan Queally-trained Mozzies Sister (10/11 favourite) scooted clear of six rivals to win in fine style, by 14 lengths from runner-up Lep Around.

An impressed Declan Queally junior later reported: “That was brilliant. We bought her from Ciaran and Liam Fennessy who I am friendly with and they recommended her. I rode in point-to-points with Ciaran for years and he told me to buy this one.

“We didn’t have her long before her (second) point-to-point and I took a chance running her as it was local, but she bolted up. I knew when she was only 70% ready, that there was a lot more to come.

“I was hoping to come here for the point-to-point bumper on Easter Monday but we made a small change and were able to book Maxine (O’Sullivan). She might get an entry at Aintree or Punchestown, depending on what the syndicate think but she is decent. She is a lovely racehorse and I am mad about her.

“The owners (For The Love Of It Syndicate) are a good crew of farmers from west Waterford and they’re thrilled to have a good one.”

Owner Vincent O’Connor’s homebred Knockbrack Rambler (12/1) landed the Racing Home For Easter Festival Handicap Hurdle for trainer Brendan Walsh and jockey Cal Shine.

Held up off the pace, the Leading Light-gelding improved to lead before the second last and held on to beat Shana Cloon by three-quarters of a length.

Walsh reported: “The ground isn’t as deep today as it was the last day and is drying out. I walked it on Tuesday and it wasn’t too deep so we took a chance.

“Cal gave him a great ride, he waited and waited and came with one run.

“His owner Vincent O’Connor, from Abbeyfeale, bred him and we had the dam who won a few races and is from a good tough family. We’ll leave him alone for a couple of weeks and go again.”