Da Capo Glory gets season off to a flyer in Cork

Padraig Butler's Da Capo Glory struck on his seasonal debut to land the EASYFIX Handicap Hurdle at Cork.

The seven-year-old has not been seen since pulling up in the Galway Hurdle in August last year but took no time in hitting his stride this time around.

Under conditional rider Darragh Allen the gelding started a 9-2 chance and toughed it out to prevail by a head on testing soft to heavy ground.

"It is his first run for five months and Darragh (Allen) knows him very well having won a bumper and maiden hurdle on him," said Butler.

"We couldn't look past him with his 7lb claim on that ground, which is worth its weight in gold."

He went on: "This horse was my first winner, he is still flying the flag and is a mighty horse. He isn't big but is very well bred and jumps hurdles very well.

"He pulled up in the Galway Hurdle when they went a million (miles per hour) and we were behind and beaten after the first hurdle. He didn't really get a race though but the thing about him is he can hit flat spots in his races.

"He ran well when finishing fourth in the Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran last year and that is an option again."

Willie Mullins' Largy Hill got off the mark over obstacles when winning the ITM Irish Stallion Trail 12-13 January Maiden Hurdle under Paul Townend.

The bay is a bumper winner who finished second on his hurdles debut at Navan in November, a run he improved for as he secured a two-and-three-quarter-length victory over Oscars Brother as the 1-2 favourite.

"He stayed nicely, travelled well and with the ground being testing, had to do things right which he did," said Townend.

"He improved from a good first run (over hurdles) and we were hoping he would improve at this distance.

"He was professional in everything he did and