Sovereign Gold off the mark in fine style

Henry de Bromhead's Sovereign Gold was the easy winner of the first split of the three mile maiden hurdle in Tipperary under a motionless Sean Flanagan.

The seven-year-old mare chased home an in-form Merry Doyenne in Wexford four days ago but didn't meet anything of her calibre today as punters sent her off the 2/5 favourite.

She began to increase her advantage approaching the home bend and had all bar Courting Flow beaten off two out.

The latter was less than fluent there and gap widened as Sovereign Gold kept rolling down to the final flight.

Once it was negotiated, she cruised in by 14 lengths hard held. Courting Flow (10/3) couldn't land a blow in second but was nine and a half lengths clear of Daddy Curtuis (25/1).

The double point-to-point winner got off the mark on the track at the eighth time of asking.

Flanagan said: "It was my first time riding her and her form suggested she was the best horse in the race.

"She relished the ground, jumped from hurdle to hurdle and stuck it out well - I'd say she's a good mare. She goes through the ground very well and where you're going to go with her at this time of year is the next question, but I was mightily impressed with her."

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes