Top Notch comes home first

Racing : Smart chaser Mister Top Notch reverted back to timber with consummate ease when strolling home in the McCarthy Insurance…

Racing: Smart chaser Mister Top Notch reverted back to timber with consummate ease when strolling home in the McCarthy Insurance Group Hurdle at Cork.

Davy Fitzgerald's nine-year-old won the Grade One Dr PJ Moriarty Chase as a novice last term but had slightly lost his way.

But despite the presence of 4-6 favourite Ninetieth Minute in the field, Conor O'Dwyer never had a moment of worry on board the 2-1 chance.

The pair won by an eased-down two and a half lengths, with Time To Sell passing the favourite on the run-in for second.

Fitzgerald said: "He'll be entered for the (Pierse) Leopardstown Chase but it looks like he'll get top weight in that so he might go for the Pertemps Qualifier over hurdles on the same day."

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