THE annual students’ race day took place at Cork racecourse and under extremely testing underfoot conditions, the large crowd witnessed a terrific finish in the Way To Paris At Coolagown Stud Handicap Hurdle as Storm Mahler recorded a last-gasp success under his trainer Eric McNamara’s son Conor McNamara.

There was a major gamble here on Liam O’Brien’s Mighty Jeremy and he picked up the running after the final flight. However, the recent Clonmel runner-up Storm Mahler was in full flight by now and he hit the front inside the final 50 yards to see off Mighty Jeremy by a neck.

There were two further father and son successes throughout the course of the afternoon and it was the turn next of trainer Conor and jockey Charlie O’Dwyer as they combined to collect the Follow Us On Social Media Maiden Hurdle with long odds-on shot Battle It Out.

Placed on his previous two career starts, the JP McManus-owned Battle It Out led from three out and then survived a penultimate flight error to beat Brendan Walsh’s mare Knockaraha Lass by two and a half lengths.

Blizzard Of Oz had little difficulty in justifying 5/4 favouritism under his handler Willie Mullins’ son Patrick in the closing Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Pro/Am) Auction Flat Race. The Arctic Cosmos-sired Blizzard Of Oz, who was placed on three previous occasions, took command from two furlongs out to dismiss Any Road by an unextended three lengths.

The John Kiely-trained Penny Glory made a victorious start to her track career in the Buy Tickets For The Easter Festival Online Now Mares’ (Ladies Pro/Am) Flat Race.

Penny Glory, an own-sister to the 2021 Betfair Hurdle winner Soaring Glory that represents Veronica Sherwood, vindicated the promise of her two-placed efforts in point-to-points last season by leading from over a furlong out with Maxine O’Sullivan to beat Armed And Fabulous by three and three-quarter lengths.

The Welcome To Student Raceday 2023Maiden Hurdle for four-year-olds’ kicked off proceedings and James Nash’s Snapius just got the better of favourite Calico.

Snapius, a creditable fourth in a Leopardstown maiden hurdle over Christmas, was always well positioned and he made his way past Calico over 50 yards out to score by a half-length in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.

Phillip Enright will seldom ride an easier winner that he did aboard the Eddie Cawley-trained Waittillitellyou in the Conway’s Yard ‘Egg And Spoon’ Handicap Hurdle.

Bottom-weight Waittillitellyou led before two out and with long-time leader West Breeze falling here when lying a close second, the victorious nine-year-old bounded clear to dispose of Wowsham by an eased down four lengths.

Swedish native Eliot Ohgren, who has worked with Willie Mullins for the past couple of years, partnered his first winner on Irish soil aboard the Brian McMahon-trained mare Killinure Lass in the Blackwater (QR) Handicap Hurdle.

The recent Thurles winner Killinure Lass picked up the running before the last to thwart Jump The Shark by a half-length.

The three-day Cork Easter meeting commences on Saturday, April 8.