Odds-on Gold Des Bois off the mark over hurdles

The 124-rated Gold Des Bois (10/11 fav) led two out in the Kilmore Maiden Hurdle and went on from there to account for market rivals Champagne Gold (7/2) and Pienta (9/4) by four and three quarters of a length and the same.

The French-bred 6-year-old had won a point-to-point last year for Peter Fahey before being sold for 100K sterling to local man Brian Acheson’s Robcour and he had some good placed efforts over hurdles in the spring for Jessica Harrington.

After a near seven month lay-off, he was produced in good shape by new handler Gordon Elliott and really ‘winged’ the last two flights to put his stamp on the race.

Winning rider Robbie Power said: "He is a gorgeous big horse who will be a chaser in time and that was a good performance.

"The ground is lovely and a strongly run two miles is probably his trip. He has a very high cruising speed.

"I'll leave plans up to Gordon and the owners but whatever he does over hurdles is a bonus but maybe a season hurdling, for him to mature, would do him no harm."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes