The Crow flies home to rapturous scenes on popular student raceday

The peculiarly named Crowsatedappletart comfortably landed the 2m handicap hurdle under Rachael Blackmore, prompting elated scenes in the winner's enclosure where trainer Mick Winters and owner Paul Mullins enjoyed their success in the company of some enthusiastic supporters.

The six-year-old went off a well-backed 16-5 favourite and jumped fluently in mid-division under Blackmore. He looked to have all challengers covered when he slung wide into the straight travelling powerfully, but Brendan Walsh's Toon Town was not going down without a fight. Crowsatedappletart had to be brave at the final two hurdles before he scooted clear to win by three and three-quarter lengths.

This was a maiden success for Crowsatedappletart, who was coming back in trip for the first time since finishing runner-up at Clonmel three starts ago in a contest that had worked out well.

Winters said: "He's a funny kind of a horse, he's a character. Rachael rode him the last day and he was staying on in fifth. We left Rachael at it today and she was very good. We’re hoping he's a better horse on good ground. He has a nice mark over fences now."

But the question on most onlookers' lips concerned the origin of the bizarre name attached to the gelding.

"I thought it was a terrible name!" laughed Winters. "You will have to ask that man about it," he said, pointing at owner Mullins who duly obliged with a cautionary tale about leaving baked goods unattended on your doorstep.

"It was during Covid, my partner Jane has two aunts in Ballydesmond and we were going up to visit and we took two apple tarts with us," explained Mullins.

"They live in two different houses so we dropped the two apple tarts outside each of their doors. One aunt wrote to us afterwards saying she went down the road and got a carton of cream and ate the whole tart.

"The other aunt wrote back 'the crows ate the apple tart'. And I said to myself, that's the name for the horse!"

A great day for connections, but perhaps spare a thought for the aunt.

Fortunate spare ride for McDonagh

The feature 2m5f handicap hurdle went to Eric McNamara and Mark McDonagh, who teamed up with 4-1 favourite Alpesh Amin to land the spoils. This was an opportunistic spare ride for the 5lb claimer after original rider Conor McNamara was stood down following a fall earlier on the card.

"He did it well and he likes soft ground," said the trainer. "He won at this track at Christmas and he stays galloping well. He's a lovely, honest, genuine horse. He's a Flemensfirth and will jump a fence in time. I'm delighted for his owner Olivia Long, who has been a great patron of our stable. 

"Conor is okay, just a bit dazed. Mark has ridden and been placed on him twice before. I had a bit of explaining to do to get him on but the stewards were very understandable so a huge thanks to them."

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