Cork Sunday review and replays

Last-gasp win for Sir Bob

Sir Bob snatched success in the final strides of the Paddy Power Cork Grand National Handicap Chase.

The Robert Tyner-trained gelding was a 9/1 chance under Simon Torrens for the Listed staying event over three miles and four furlongs.

The 11-year-old had not won since December 2022 and narrowly missed out on a valuable prize when just beaten in the Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase at the Punchestown Festival in April.

Success was not assured at Cork until the closing seconds of the race, when Sir Bob edged past Barry Connell’s Call The Tune, the 5/2 favourite, to prevail by a short head.

“That was grand and great that it worked out as his jumping kept him in it,” said Tyner.

“He is inclined to be lazy through his races but once he was there turning in, I thought he had a great chance.

“Staying is his job and he was unlucky in Punchestown when only beaten in a photo finish having been jumped across at the last fence. This is well deserved and he is tough.

“We were happy with his first run back over hurdles but disappointed with his second run, although today’s extra distance helped.

“This is my first time winning this race, it is a good pot and he is an 11-year-old, so it is great to get it. He is getting near the edge in handicaps now but we’ll look to the Porterstown Chase and to longer-distance hurdles now.”

Chasing's the game

Enda Bolger enjoyed a Listed victory on the same card when Solitary Man scored by two and a half lengths in the Paddy Power “I Still Call It Twitter” Irish EBF Novice Hurdle.

Darragh O’Keeffe did the steering and rode the five-year-old to a smooth success.

“Darragh said he’s manning up all the time and his jumping is excellent,” Bolger said.

“After the last day here, I was saying that he had been busy enough and would we leave him alone, but I just saw the entries and said we’d have a shot at it. It was a good call and good prize money to get.

“I don’t know what I’ll do now – he definitely likes nice ground and I’d prefer to put him away. He’s only five and if they’re good, they’re worth minding, so we mightn’t see him now until the spring.

“Fences will be his real thing, so maybe we could eventually look at a beginners’ chase at Killarney.”

Victory completed a double on the card for O'Keeffe who struck aboard Flamborough (7/4 favourite) in division two of the Paddy Power From The Horse's Mouth Podcast Maiden Hurdle making it a weekend to remember for the jockey who landed the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on Saturday aboard Gentlemansgame.

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