Muskerry Rock ran out an all-the-way winner of the Buy Tickets Online Novice Hunter Chase at Wexford on Thursday evening.
Twice a winner between the flags during the autumn term at Umma House and Ballycrystal, Pa King’s seven-year-old was bouncing back from a below-par effort in Tramore when he only finished eighth behind the exciting I Walked The Line.
Sporting the colours of the winning rider’s wife Aine, the Shirocco gelding was under pressure at various points on the final circuit, and despite the favourite, Tiffiny’s Girl looming as a big danger on his outside, he showed a good attitude.
The pair jumped the final fence as one, but it was Muskerry Rock who found most for pressure as he went on to deny the Easter Monday Cork Hunter Chase winner by four and a quarter lengths.
The Oldcastle maiden winner, Thehandsomecharmer, finished strongly to take third, just half-a-length back.
“You can’t go too fast on him, he just likes to be hunted along,” King said. “He didn’t really enjoy Tramore the last day, but as you can see out there, he jumps for fun.
“I was a bit slow at the second-last, I got in under it, but I met the last on a good stride and he was good and quick, landed running and going away again.
“He makes you work for it, but that’s okay.
“He is a very important horse – he runs in my wife’s colours. It was her first point-to-point win and now first track win.
“He possibly could go to the sale in Tattersalls, I spoke to Jamie Codd before the race and he said there could be a good market for him there so he might head up there.”
