The Cork programme was reduced to a six-race card yesterday after the stewards abandoned the featured FBD Insurance Handicap Chase due to the state of the ground.
Following heavy overnight rain the ground was described officially as heavy but it soon became clear after the opening handicap hurdle, won by Heavenly Buck, that the track was virtually unraceable.
David Casey, who partnered the Andrew McNamara-trained pillar-to-post winner, said: "It's very heavy and there is plenty of water on the track."
"That ground is unraceable," said Ruby Walsh on leaving the winner's enclosure after he was successful on Paddy Fennelly's Padre Mio in the novice chase. Minutes later a deputation of riders, including Walsh, Norman Wiliamson and Jason Titley, complained to the stewards about the ground which in turn led to the remaining chase contest being axed.
Paddy Fennelly, who bought back Padre Mio for £14,000 gns at the Doncaster Spring Sales last year after a spell with Charlie Brooks, said: "He is badly handicapped over fences and hurdles, so I may put him away for Galway and chance him in the Plate," he said.
Willie Mullins saddled his first winner of the new flat season when Super Whizz sprinted clear from the two-furlong pole in the hands of Conor Everard to easily justify favouritism in the FBD Multiperil Maiden.
"He's a real hurdler in the making and will be aimed for the Triumph Hurdle next year," Mullins said. Declan Gillespie also got off the mark for the new campaign, courtesy of Existential (Jason Behan); while earlier his fellow Curragh trainer, Jim Gorman, was responsible for the winner of the seven-furlong handicap when Gordon Power conjured up a winning effort on the outsider, Sparkling Harmony, to defeat top-weight Fiddler's Rock.
Meanwhile, at Navan on Saturday, Kilcullen trainer John Hayden opened his seasonal account when completing a 155 to 1 double with Privatize and Shannon Arch.
Jamie Spencer set the ball rolling when making most of the running on Privatize in the Webster Handicap before Shannon Arch caused a shock in the Dunboyne Handicap.
Sent off the 25 to 1 outsider of the 14-runner field and running six pounds out of the handicap proper, the three-year-old gelding held on to defeat Gates by a diminishing length and a half to provide Rosslare-born apprentice Derek Stamp (18) with his first success. "It must have been the way I got out of bed this morning," quipped Hayden after he recorded the second double of his training career. "I thought he'd need the run. He's a big galloping horse and will stay further," he concluded.
Ruby Walsh added to his impressive tally when completing a double at Cork on Saturday with Cromwells Keep and Sea Fisher.
He teamed up with Willie Mullins, who saddled a treble on the day, to take the Dawn Light Butter Handicap Hurdle with Cromwells Keep. The eight-year-old gelding was patiently ridden to lead before the last for a three-lengths victory over Testify. "He likes soft ground, so we will keep him going in handicap hurdles as long as this poor weather continues," said Mullins.
Walsh also came from off the pace on Sea Fisher in the Low Low Handicap Chase, travelling strongly to join Jimmy Dan at the penultimate fence and cruising clear for a nine-lengths success.
