Hollow Games maintained his unbeaten record when doing his best work late on in the Grade 3 Monksfield Novice Hurdle at Navan.

The 2/5 favourite was there to be shot at racing to the third last and soon came off the bridle.

He found plenty, though, and began to assert approaching the last. He put in a superb leap there and stayed on well to win by two and a quarter lengths from Lunar Display (10/3 from 9/2).

Gordon Elliott said: "He's a nice horse, it turned into a sprint. Davy said after the race 'he's not as slow as you think he is, when it turned into a sprint he quickened, put his head out and galloped'.

“I was worried as they went no gallop but he will have learned a lot there. I think he'll go to Naas now (Lawlors Of Naas Grade 1 Novice Hurdle).

“He's a horse that races behind the bridle but he's a real nice horse.

“It's great for Noel and Valerie as it's local and it's on television today.”

Paddy Power trimmed Hollow Games from 9/1 to 8/1 jf for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

Hollow Games has now won a point-to-point, two bumpers and a couple of hurdle races.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson