Prends Garde A Toi off the mark over flights

Gordon Elliott's Prends Garde A Toi (2/5f) made a successful transition to flights in the extended 2m5f maiden hurdle at Downpatrick.

The Gigginstown representative was always to the fore for Jack Kennedy in this small field and was joined by Augusta George from the fifth flight.

Kennedy rode him to assert entering the straight and duo stayed on to win by two and a-quarter lengths from the 5/1 runner-up.

Assistant trainer Lisa O'Neill said: "He is (a work in progress), it is a good starting point for him here and hopefully he will progress mentally and physically from it.

"It is his first start of the season. He was runner-up in a point-to-point, so he would have had plenty of schooling done with Colin Bowe.

"He is (more of a stayer) and, ideally, Jack would have probably loved getting a lead. He had to cut out his own running.

"You could see him getting further and softer ground will be no problem to him either. He has handled that in the past so, going on into the winter months, hopefully he will be able to pull off a few more."