Dual maiden hurdle ‘winner’ Wakea made the successful step to handicap hurdle company at Down Royal today when winning the Grade C Billecart-Salmon Handicap Hurdle for trainer Karl Thornton and jockey Donagh Meyler.

The son of Cape Cross was a course and distance winner of a maiden hurdle in May, which he subsequently lost due to the presence of a prohibited substance, but did win his second maiden hurdle at Clonmel in September and today made most for a game nine lengths win over Ainslie

Following the race, Co Dublin based Thornton stated “it's been an awful summer for him - he tested positive for an anti-inflammatory that he didn't get in my yard and it didn't go out of his system for three months and he looked horrendous all summer.

“We came here because there was no novice hurdle in Ireland for him and he seems to be going the right way. When he learns how to jump he has a big engine and he looks like a horse that will jump a fence. In fact hurdles are nearly too small for him. He is still a big baby in a lot of ways."

He added “I can't believe we’ve got him - we paid 16,500gns (in February 2016) for him and he's a fine horse and sound as a bell.”

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Michael Graham