Exactoris gets off the mark over flights

Exactoris got off the mark on his second start over flights, taking the Boomerang Animal Bedding Maiden Hurdle.

Successful in two bumpers last year, the five-year-old son of Shantou finished eleventh of twenty-eight on his debut over flights at Navan in December.

Stepped up to two and a half miles today, the Joseph O'Brien trained gelding raced behind the leaders, and was second with a circuit to race.

He improved to dispute the lead four out where he made a mistake, and he led from the next. He was pressed and ridden before the second last, but he found plenty for pressure, going on to score by four and a half lengths. Air Command who was backed from 7's to 9/2, finished second under Andrew Lynch for Jim Culloty, while Jack The Wire (8's this morning and returned 2/1) was twelve lengths back in third for Denis Hogan.

The winner opened on-course at 5/4 and touched evens, before drifting out to 11/8 and favourite at the off.

Joseph O'Brien said afterwards: "He's a nice horse but jumped a bit green today.

"He should improve plenty for this and I'll speak to JP (McManus) and Frank (Berry) and see where to go next. Galway could be an option and he is a nice staying type who will be better when he jumps a fence.

"He was a bit fresh today as he had been off the track for a while."