Tarla found a big jump at the last as she powered to a five-length victory

  PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)  

Tarla back to winning ways with easy Cork win

Report: Cork, Thursday

www.racinghomeforeaster.com Hurdle 2m4f, 4yo+

TARLA, who has won every start on which she has completed since joining Willie Mullins in 2010, made light work of her four rivals in the €20,000 hurdle at Cork, making all under David Casey to win by five lengths from Galway Hurdle winner Rebel Fitz.

A faller on her last two starts, Tarla's form figures since moving to Mullins now read: 111P11FF1 and she saw off her rivals from the front, setting a steady gallop before injecting a huge amount of pace in the back straight to stretch her rivals.

The move, when last year's winner Oilily came and sat on her quarters, appeared to have Rebel Fitz in trouble on Davy Russell's first ride back having been hospitalised at Cheltenham, but the Michael Winters-trained eight-year-old rallied strongly to emerge as the most serious threat to the winner as the pair entered the home straight.

Coming off the bridle early would not have been Russell's plan, having suffered a collapsed lung last week, but he was at his strongest as he pushed, kicked and cajoled Rebel Fitz back into the race, only to be shown a clean pair of heels by the winner as Casey kicked clear having got a breather into his mount on the home bend.

Casey said: "It wasn't easy making the running in that wind with the headwind up the straight. She jumped well, galloped and saw it out well. She did everything right. It was good to get her confidence back after a couple of falls."

The early move by Oilily changed the complexion of the race and the fact Tarla was able to quicken twice, albeit off a moderate early pace, confirms the impression she possesses a fair amount of class and with Quevega and Annie Power already at his disposal, Mullins looks to have another top quality mare on his hands.