Belle The Lioness off to Cheltenham but her odds lengthen

Belle The Lioness scrambled home at 2/7 in the Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle from a closing Mollys Glory

She led but was unsettled by a loose horse before making a mistake at the second last which gave the pursuers hope.

The six-year-old mare was again less than fluent over the last and was looking for the winning post as Mollys Glory stayed on well.

The 'jolly' got there by an ever-reducing half length under Rachael Blackmore from the 11/4 runner-up. Arthor (12/1) also kept on well along the run-in to come in third, a further three parts of a length down.

Henry de Bromhead said: "We took our time with her here the last day and I think riding that way suits better, but that's the way we had to ride her today to get the job done. I'm delighted she won and she had to tough it out in the end.

"We've had a lot of fun with her and she hasn't been out of the first two for us. She got lit up by the loose horse and plenty went against her and, in a better race, the way to ride her is to take your time.

"On her previous run, we are going to aim for the mares' novice hurdle at Cheltenham - we're entitled to go and take our chance. She has done plenty already, has her black-type and will go straight there."

Paddy Power pushed Belle The Lioness out to 33/1 from 25/1 for the mares' novices' hurdle.

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes