Felix coasts home on hurdle debut

Felix Desjy won as he pleased under Jack Kennedy on his hurdling debut at Galway.

The five-year-old gelding won two bumpers last year before finishing sixth and fifth in the Grade One bumpers at the Cheltenham and Punchestown festivals respectively.

Gordon Elliott 's charge tanked clear of the opposition approaching the home bend and sauntered home by an easy 10 lengths to justify 2/7 favouritism. Licklighter came in second at 5/1 with Amerijano third at 40/1.

Jack Kennedy said: "It was straightforward and he is after settling now and hopefully he stays that way.

"He is a horse with plenty of ability but seems to just do too much but we were very happy with him today and he relaxed and jumped great.

"While it wasn't the strongest race, he couldn't have done much more."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes