Cooper’s prayers are answered by Amen Kate

Amen Kate sparked Cheltenham dreams for Tom Cooper with success in the Billy Harney Memorial Irish EBF Boreen Belle Mares Novice Hurdle at Thurles.

A 4-1 chance under Jack Kennedy for Listed honours, the daughter of Grade One-winning mare Augusta Kate was looking to get back on track after unseating her rider at the start last time at Punchestown.

She duly delivered, winning by two and a quarter lengths from Willie Mullins’ Korinthia, the 6-5 favourite, to potentially line up a trip the Prestbury Park in March.

Cooper said: “She was good and tough and stays. They went a proper gallop, she jumped and travelled and Jack said she was in her comfort zone.

“It was very unfortunate the last day when she just jinked back from the tape. There was no badness and it was nothing to do with Sean (Flanagan, jockey then) but she gave him no chance of staying on.

“She had been very tricky but is a different mare this year as we got an issue sorted with her last year.

“Bryan (son, ex-jockey) loves her and why wouldn’t he, as he bought her. She was well-bought as she has some pedigree and her dam and second-dam are both Grade One winners. This mare isn’t overly big but she is bigger than both those mares, who were tiny.

“The dream is very much alive and she will probably go straight to the mares’ novice at Cheltenham now. I don’t think ground is an issue to her and good horses seem to go on any ground.”

Elsewhere on the card was the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase, won in good style by Jonathan Sweeney’s Rushmount as the 11-4 favourite under Philip Donovan.

“That was impressive, as he had top weight around here in a tricky enough race,” the winning trainer said.

“I had him in the beginners’ chase at Leopardstown over Christmas but it was after we got the handicap mark recently that I decided to come here. He also likes the nicer ground here.

“He had some good runs, had a nice run here the last day and that bit of experience stood to him.

“We’ll see where he goes next and being suited by spring ground, Cheltenham is a possibility.”