Breezy Bell and Cathal McCormack jump the last© Photo Healy Racing
Breezy Bell (9/2, from 10/1 earlier in the day) was an easy winner of the Yupana Inc California Handicap Hurdle (Div II) giving his young rider Cathal McCormack (19, from Dunshaughlin Co.Meath) his first winner.
The 7lbs claiming amateur looked quite accomplished as his mount travelled well throughout.
The Soldier Hollow 5-year-old, twice a winner on good ground on the Flat in her native Germany, made smooth headway in the back straight to join issue before the last.
She flew that final flight and raced away to win by an eased-down four lengths and half a length from Fair Minded and 4/1 favourite Ilikehim
The Eddie Cawley-owned and trained winner was getting off the mark on her sixth start over hurdles and on her first start since February.
The winning rider said: “I can’t thank Eddie enough for having the trust in me to ride the horse.
“The change in ground I’d say helped her massively. She jumped and travelled very well. She surprised me how well she travelled because coming here I thought she might need the run, but Eddie had her spot-on.”
“That’s my first winner on the track but I’ve had a couple in point-to-points, one for Nigel Slevin and one for Thomas Coyle.
“I’ve been going in and out to Eddie’s for six years. I started there.
“It’s a serious place to work. He’s an absolute genius with the horses.
“To breed, own and train them, it’s a credit to him.”
Additional reporting by Eamonn Murphy
