Cork jockeys prove their class on both sides of the Irish sea

DENIS O’Regan and Davy Russell may have departed the weigh room but Cork jump jockeys continue to thrive on both sides of the sea.

On Monday at Exeter, Johnny Burke recorded a double on two exciting prospects for Harry Fry and he was denied a spectacular Monday treble finishing second in the bumper at the iconic Haldon Hill venue aboard Anno Power.

Burke, who will turn 28 next month, enjoyed a facile success in the Exeter opener on the 1/4 favourite Might I. He finished alone after his lone rival Bourbali pulled up with a slipped saddle before the eight fence. It was a nice confidence booster for the winner who'd finished second on his chasing debut at Newton Abbot. 

Might I finished a close fourth at last year's Cheltenham festival in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys H'cap Hurdle when heavily supported. He also has the unique distinction of once being favourite (6/4) to beat Constitution Hill in a novice hurdle at Sandown. Time has shown that his 14-length second to Constitution Hill (85/40) wasn't as bad as it seemed at the time.

Burke completed a short-priced Exeter double for Fry on his exciting hurdling debutant Gidleigh Park who justified 1-2 favouritism with an impressive seven-and-a-half length victory. 

Burke kept him wide in search of the better ground and exuded confidence on the Chepstow Bumper winner. 

He looks above average and might be a graded horse in time. He's a half-brother to three-time winner for Phillip Hobbs St Bart's. Johnny finished second on Tuesday at Fakenham on Francina for Jamie Snowden in a fillies juvenile junior hurdle. She'd finished second at Hereford under another Cork jockey Gavin Sheehan.

Dunmanway pilot Sheehan also enjoyed a good start to the week. He struck at Leicester on Everything'sontick in the handicap chase for the Woodway Farm yard of Lawney Hill. He continued the momentum with victory in the Intermediate Handicap Chase for Jamie Snowden on Git Maker at Lingfield. He was easy to back drifting to 9/4 in face of market support for Snowden's other runner Super Survivor who finished second.

Sheehan was denied a double in the concluding handicap hurdle finishing second on Stuart Edmund's Feivel.

HEAVENLY

Here at home at Limerick, Conna jockey Richie Condon tasted success in the Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle on the well-backed 6/5 favourite Champagne Admiral. The winner boasted excellent form credentials coming into Tuesday's contest. He'd finished second to the vaunted An Tobar at Fairyhouse a fortnight ago when partnered by another Cork jockey, Michael O'Sullivan. 

Leighlionbridge trainer Pat Fahey acknowledged the faith O’Sullivan has in the winner. "Michael loved him the last day but when this race confined to conditional jockeys came up we had to go for it - conditions suited." 

It was a first winner of the campaign for Richie who will always be remembered for his Coral Cup success on Heaven Help Us.

Richie's other iconic career moment came when he partnered The Mean Queen in a tight finish to win the 2021 American Grand National for trainer Keri Brion. Condon and Brion also combined in the opening race on that memorable October Afternoon at Far Hills with Historic Heart.

The Cork success continued in the concluding bumper at Limerick on Tuesday as the talented Lombardstown amateur jockey Maxine O'Sullivan won the Irish EBF Mares INH Flat Race for Dungarvan trainer John Kiely. There aren't many better judges of pace than Maxine and she exuded confidence here on Ma Belle Etoile. 

O'Sullivan was patient personified and was rewarded with a dream run up the rail on the sweet travelling daughter of Doyen. She'd run really well at Tipperary in October on debut but disappointed when back here last month behind Sunday's listed winner Only By Night.

The race again highlighted the skill set of Maxine O'Sullivan who rides with that sense of patience and self-belief that embodied the mantra of the just-retired Denis O’Regan.