'He was right, I was wrong' - Morris praises brave Sams Profile ride in Galmoy

When Mouse Morris whips his familiar maroon cap off and is bowing in front of you, you know you must have done something right. Let's just say it wouldn't be a regular occurrence on Irish racecourses.

Morris was in awe of the audacity shown by Phillip Enright on Sams Profile in winning the Grade 2 John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle, and displayed his appreciation in the winners' enclosure afterwards.

The reason for the gesture? "I'll be quite frank with you, I thought he [Enright] was a bit far away at the top of the hill, but you have to take your hat off to him. He's a cool dude. He was dead right, I was wrong," replied Morris.

Galmoy Hurdle result and replay

The Grand National-winning trainer may have heaped all the praise on Enright for the half-length victory, but he deserves plenty of it himself.

Sams Profile fractured a rib and bruised his lung when falling at Thurles in November, and did remarkably well to finish third to Monkfish next time given what he had suffered there. Chasing was put on hold for a year, and that now looks a shrewd move.

Morris has managed to turn Sams Profile into a genuine Stayers' Hurdle contender in a matter of weeks with big-race sponsors Paddy Power slashing his odds to 16-1 (from 66-1).

Mouse Morris: looking at the Stayers' Hurdle next for Sams ProfileCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

After the winner survived a stewards' inquiry, Morris said: "He's always been a very good horse, but he hasn't been the easiest to train. He had a fractured rib and we didn't know about it. He bruised his lung, but he's as tough as old boots.

"He does jump well, and it was just one of those things that happened at Thurles [when he fell], but it had just got too late in the year to send him over fences."

The winning trainer added: "He has a couple of very good runs to his name, but he's not the luckiest horse in the world. He was just beaten in a Grade 1 as a novice and the Stayers' Hurdle will be pencilled in for him now."

Anything Jack can do Paddy can do too

It was a terrific Thursday for the Kennedy family as Jack's older brother Paddy continued his fine campaign by winning the beginners' chase on Rebel Gold for Danoli's trainer Tom Foley.

The 4-1 shot was two-and-a-half-lengths too good for Antey and Tom's son Pat reported his hugely-popular father to be in fine fettle.

He said: "Dad's in good spirits. That'll be a good tonic for him and keep him happy."

On Rebel Gold, he added: "He's a fantastic jumper, rated 132 over fences already and we'll see what the handicapper does with him now but there'll be a nice handicap in him. The Shamrock Handicap Chase back here in March will probably be his next race."

O'Neill and Dreaper get in on the act

Lisa O'Neill earned the bragging rights in the 2m4½f maiden hurdle as she got a great tune out of Song Of Earth and held off the late rally of Johngus by a head.

O'Neill said: "I'm delighted to win one of these races because it's the first time I have! I'm thrilled for [winning trainer] Mags Mullins too, giving her a winner at her local track."

Jim Dreaper was among the winners on Thyestes day too as 7-2 favourite Forrard Away took the 2m handicap hurdle under a positive ride from Keith Donoghue.

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