Common Practice a very ready winner

Joseph O'Brien's Common Practice showed marked improvement on his third start over hurdles to easily land the opening 3-Y-O maiden hurdle in Galway.

The 7/2 shot crept into contention for Mark Walsh on the downhill run to the second-last. He was swinging away on the bridle in a closing third jumping that obstacle.

He touched down in second behind new leader Mr Globalist and was full of running in tackling that rival over the last.

Once he negotiated it, there was only one winner as he eased to the front a furlong from home and won as he pleased by three and a half lengths. Impero the 5/2 favourite, kept on in second without landing a glove on the winner. Circus Act was another half a length back in third at 22/1.

Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus, said: "He was raw and didn't finish out great the last twice. Mark said the ground was only soft, for that race anyway, and he seemed to handle it quite well.

“He jumped much better today as well. I don't know how strong the race was, it mightn't have been the strongest, but you can only be pleased the way he went and did it.

“We'll tip away in those hurdles and see where we end up.”

Common Practice had finished sixth on hurdling debut at Listowel and seventh in Punchestown.

He won the Apprentice Derby on the Flat in the Curragh in June.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson