Aghaboy holds on in Ballinrobe opener

Willie Mullins' Aghaboy landed the odds in the opener at Ballinrobe but not without a fright for his backers.

He went off 4/9 favourite after being beaten by a neck on hurdling debut at Killarney last month.

The Protectionist gelding was always in the front rank alongside Mi Sueno in this 3-Y-O maiden hurdle and led narrowly, travelling well , inside the final three furlongs.

At this stage, Brigehead made headway into third and improved to second at the final flight as Mi Sueno gave best.

Aghaboy was still going well turning into the straight, however, Bridgehead was ridden at the furlong pole by Eoin Walsh and stayed on well to cut right into the deficit.

Kieran Callaghan went for the whip in the closing stages on the leader who clung on by a diminishing head from the 6/1 runner-up. There was a gap of eight and a half lengths back to Arch Enemy (22/1).

Callaghan said: "The plan was to be good and forward on him. The last day in Killarney he was staying on really well to the line and we didn't want it to turn into too much of a sprint for him.

"So we were happy enough to let him roll forward today and turn it into more of a staying test.

"I didn't get it as easy as I wanted to in front but he was keen everywhere which probably made it more impressive.

"He was green. When I ended up in front coming down to the second last he was still having a look, so hopefully there's a bit more to come from him."

Additional reporting by Mark Nunan