Dark justifies the gamble

Dark Prospect made it third time lucky over flights in the Eurobead Maiden Hurdle, getting the better of Riverstown and Henro Boy on the run-in, by half a length and three parts of a length.

The good-looking Nayef gelding made a mistake at the first which ended his hopes here at the Festival and he 'missed' two out at Ballinrobe next time which proved his undoing.

However here all went to plan for the well-backed market-leader (9/4 into 11/8) prompting his trainer Noel Meade to say: "It has taken a while for him but I think he's a good horse. He made a mistake here at the first (at the Festival) which frightened the life out of him which was surprising as he'd done an awful lot of schooling beforehand.

"He schooled well after and I thought he'd win at Ballinrobe last time. He would have done, even though that wouldn't be his track, but for a mistake at the second last. Two and a quarter miles here gave him a chance and I'm very happy.

"He might go for a flat handicap somewhere over a mile and a half or a mile and six before going for a novice hurdle or a winners of one. He'd go on yielding but he'd hardly be a heavy ground horse."