Brave Way lands the odds for Honeysuckle team

The favourite Brave Way landed odds of 4/9 with the minimum of fuss in the mares beginners' chase.

The daughter of Jeremy, a winner and Graded-placed over hurdles and runner-up on her previous two starts over fences, tracked the leaders before Rachael Blackmore took up the running on her after three out.

The seven-year-old went away in the straight to beat 66/1 chance Gonedairy by nine lengths.

Winning trainer Henry de Bromhead remarked: "She isn't the biggest mare, was sticky early in the race and took a bit of time to warm up. Rachael really got her jumping the second time around and it worked really well.

"I'm delighted with her, she deserved to win one and you'd love to find black-type for her. I'll look for a staying black-type novice in the coming months."

Regarding winning owner Kenny Alexander's star hurdler Honeysuckle, he added "I haven't seen her but Nuala Lynch, who looks after her in Rathmore Stud, says she looks great. She will come back in after Galway, which is the same as previous years.

"We're working towards the same route as the last two years, beginning with the Hatton's Grace Hurdle (at Fairyhouse in November)."

Quotes from Tom Weekes