The Noel Meade trained Silken Thomas and the Ado McGuinness trained All’s Quiet dead-heated for first place in the opening Barclay Communications Maiden Hurdle at Down Royal.

All’s Quiet, under 7lbs claimer Luke McGuinness, improved to challenge Silken Thomas, having his eighth maiden hurdle start, approaching the final flight and on the run-in little separated the pair, with the Judge later confirming the dead-heat.

Rider McGuinness, a nephew of winning trainer Ado McGuinness, was riding his first winner for his uncle as a professional jockey and afterwards trainer McGuinness said: "Luke (McGuinness) is my nephew and it is his first winner back (from a 12 days suspension) so it's great.”

He added “he (All's Quiet) had a nice run in Ballinrobe and then in Tipperary he was very good but the ground was probably a shade too soft for him there.

"We fancied him to run a good race there tonight as needs good ground.

"He made a little bit of a mistake (at the last) and Luke didn't think he had it and Johnny (Moore, jockey on Silken Thomas) didn't think he had it either - they were both guessing so we won't complain!

"We'll probably go to a novice or we could go to England with him. He'll be sold, if we can too, as well."

In-form Meade wasn’t present for his ninth win of the new campaign.

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Michael Graham