Lucky Bridle gets the job done

Lucky Bridle the even money favourite, made all to take the Cahir Maiden Hurdle, scoring under Ruby Walsh for Willie Mullins.

The four-year-old son of Dylan Thomas, who cost €110,000 at Arqana last October, finished third at Punchestown on his Irish debut, when sent off the 4/6 favourite.

It looked likely that he would come on plenty for that experience, and he did just that, making all this afternoon, and being pushed out away from the last to come home a comfortable three and three parts of a length in front. Shield ran a nice race to take second under Robbie Power for Aidan O’Brien at 5/1, while Horendus Hulabaloo was a head back in third under Andrew Lynch for Mouse Morris at 5/2.

Willie Mullins said afterwards: "He has a lot to learn, but I feel he will learn. He was very green, but the further he went, and the faster he went, you could see he was improving over the last three or four hurdles.

"He handled that ground, although I’m not sure how he will get on on more testing ground.

"He will probably go for a winners of one, we won’t aim too high until he gets more experience."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee