'It's just mighty to win a race like this here' - Pray Tell a dream come true for local trainer Des Kenneally

Pray Tell and John Shinnick: Cork winnersCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

There was no more popular winner at Cork's biggest jumps meeting of the year than Pray Tell, who landed the Grade 3 Stayers Novice Hurdle for local trainer Des Kenneally and rider John Shinnick.

At the age of eight, rising nine, the son of Ask has been a late developer and he did not get off the mark on the track until his eighth attempt in a maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan in September. But this victory gave him his third in four starts under a well-judged ride from Shinnick. He did not produce the winner until after the second-last and Pray Tell then showed a willing attitude to score by a convincing two and a half lengths from front-running favourite Minella Sixo.

Kenneally, who trains locally near Kilworth, is steeped in jumps racing and particularly point-to-points. His father Christy was a trainer and his 15-year-old daughter Maeve led up the winner.

He said: "It's brilliant to win at the local track, especially winning a Graded race, and this is a really good horse. It's just that he has been plagued with problems. If he hadn't had so many problems it probably wouldn't be me training him! You would have heard of him a long time ago but for that.

"We were fairly confident coming here, we were just maybe a bit worried about the ground and the step up in trip, but he has tremendous heart. It's just mighty to win a race like this here. Mallow has been a very lucky track for me and I trained my first winner here in a bumper. I'm a farmer and I only have three horses in training.

"Pray Tell is good and l've been patient with him. He's a pure athlete to train and you probably only need to work him twice a week.

"He's been in a while now, since January. We'll see how he comes out of this, but he could probably do with a break for a few weeks. He's only a horse, he's not a machine."

Night sparkles

Had it not been for Energumene, the show would have been stolen by the Gavin Cromwell-trained mare Only By Night, who made it two out of two over fences with a commanding performance in the Grade 2 mares' novice chase.

The imposing daughter of Affinisea, who beat geldings on her debut at Tipperary last month, was hardly taken out of second gear by her rivals here as she breezed to the front jumping the last and won with consummate ease under Sean Flanagan by three and three-quarter lengths from Nara.

Paddy Power cut her to 12-1 (from 25) for the Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase.

Cromwell said: "I thought that today's race came plenty soon enough after Tipperary, but we had to really go for it. She's a big mare and jumps very well, so hopefully there's plenty more to come from her.

"The Grade 2 Coolmore mares' novice chase at Thurles in January would look a probable next target."

Read this next:

Who do you fancy for the Champion Chase after the weekend wins of Jonbon and Energumene?

'It's all there to play for' - spectacular Energumene lays down Champion Chase marker after making winning return in Hilly Way