History May Repeat Itself At Cork

Mallow Racecourse stages an all flat card on Saturday and fresh from his 1-2 in the Irish Lincoln at the Curragh last Sunday, Paul Deegan may be able to pick up a more modest but still valuable pot in the Cork Handicap at 4.45.

Deegan can often enjoy a profitable start to the flat season and he goes back to Cork with last year’s winner Papa’s Way trying for a repeat success.

Kieren Fallon is a notable booking for Tony Martin’s Quick Jack and if he was to be at his best he would look like a horse who could defy top weight.

Meanwhile Jim Bolger’s Sr Cartage has shown a liking for the ground before but Papa’s Way would be an each-way play here.

The six-year-old was a winner over hurdles at the same venue on the eve of the Cheltenham Festival winning a two-mile-four-furlong amateur handicap hurdle impressively under Derek O’Connor and has a couple of benefits over his rivals here in that he has shown a clear liking for soft or heavy ground and has race fitness under his belt.

I don’t think he should be ignored off a rating of 82 which is just 5lbs higher than he won this race off last year and 1lb below his subsequent win on the flat.

*Prices correct at time of publication.