The Tom Taaffe trained Smoking Aces broke his maiden status on the third time of asking when landing The Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Maiden Hurdle under Paddy Flood.

Winning trainer Taaffe said afterwards, "It's not really the way you'd like to see a 4/5 shot winning but he probably wants further so we'll step him up to 2 ? miles next. He'll be staying at home he won't be going to England. I thought he was very brave after making a mistake like that at the last."

Taaffe also added, "I hope to have two runners at Cheltenham, Finger On the pulse will go for the Festival Plate and Ninetieth Minute will go for the Coral Cup."