Le Vent D'Antan justified strong 3/1 joint favouritism to win the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle at Punchestown today for trainer Liz Doyle and jockey Davy Russell.

The winner was produced by Russell to lead at the second last and quickly quickened clear, eventually recording a comfortable six lengths win over Emperor Of Exmoor

Afterwards Doyle stated “Le Vent D'Antan is a most beautiful specimen but I've only now figured out how to train him!

“He had very bad ulcers and missed the autumn, so it then took a while to figure out his trip. I think I have the hang of him now; Barry (Geraghty) rode him the last day and said he wanted better ground and he also took a good blow so I really got stuck into him in the last three weeks.

“That's the performance he should have shown us as he's a quality horse with a huge engine and it's really good finishing off the year by him informing us on what to do next year!

“It takes him a while to get through the gears as he has a huge big stride but that'll be his last hurdle and he'll go chasing next season.”

By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee