WillowWarm Gold Cup (Grade 1)

FOR both trainer Andy Slattery and jockey Cian Quirke, Fleur In The Park’s win in the WillowWarm Gold Cup was a first Grade 1 success.

In a dramatic contest where three of the eight runners departed in the home straight, Quirke went down the inner on the 22/1 chance and was tight for room once or twice before switching left to lead at the last. Padraig and Margaret O’Rourke’s seven-year-old kept on well to defeat Kappa Jy Pyke by two and three-quarter lengths.

It marked a fourth career win for the seven-year-old, who was listed-placed in bumpers and placed in multiple graded novice hurdles, including at the highest level. Narrowly beaten in the Grade 2 Craddockstown Novice Chase in November, he was making his fifth chase start on Sunday.

Career highlight

“It’s great. This is my biggest day by a mile,” said Slattery. “I had a Group 2 winner on the flat. We’ve got a Grade 1 over jumps now and we’ll try to get a Group 1 on the flat!

“He got injured in November and badly needed his last run in Thurles. We knew coming today that we had him as good as we could get him. I told the owners he won’t be out of the three.

“These moments don’t come too often and we’ll go to Punchestown now for the three-mile-one (Grade 1 novice chase).”