ELLIOTT STRING START TO HIT THEIR FORM

Karl Hedley reviews the big races from over the sea

- Karl Hedley

As we head into the winter months, the action over hurdles and fences really begins to heat up all over Ireland. Limerick staged a fascinating card, the highlight of which was the Munster National. Prior to that, though, Cask Mate overcame a lengthy layoff as he ran out an easy winner of the Patrickswell Maiden Hurdle. A winner of a bumper at Ballinrobe, the Noel Meade-trained gelding finished second on his next four starts overflights, the last of which came at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day of 2017.

Despite this spell on the side-lines, the son of Kalanisi came in for plenty of market support and returned at odds of 5/2, having been as big as 8/1 earlier in the morning. Settled behind the leaders, he made smooth headway from three out and led at the next. A fluent jump at the last sealed the prize for the High Spirits Racing Clubowned gelding, as he stretched clear on the run-in, coming home four and a half lengths to the good from the favourite Frontal Assault and Double Jemmy.

Jockey Sean Flanagan was more than content with the performance and said: “His winter form is rock solid and he has bumped into a lot of nice horses along the way. It is amazing that he was still a maiden, but he has had plenty of little problems. He has gone and done what he was entitled to do and is a very smart type of horse who has loads of speed. We didn’t go quick early and I suppose the race was run to suit us as I was able to use that turn of foot, but he has gone and jumped and galloped well to the line.” Given the manner of this win, it would be of little surprise to see him upped in class as the bigger winter festivals approach.