'Proper one' Hello Neighbour delights Cromwell

Hello Neighbour (85/40) has remarkably won a Grade 2 and a Grade 1 on his first couple of outings over hurdles after he took the honours in the juvenile hurdle at Leopardstown.

Keith Donoghue looked to have plenty of horse underneath him as they raced in third entering the straight in this two miler.

It was all change at the last as Hello Neighbour took over from Lady Vega Allen who was also playing her cards late. The pursuer wasn't foot perfect at it, though, and Hello Neighbour soon set about going for home.

Donoghue asked for more inside the final furlong and Hello Neighbour forged home best in the first-time hood. Galileo Dame (16/1) stayed on stoutly for second, but she was held by three-parts of a length at the line. Lady Vega Allen (4/1) was the same distance back in third.

Gavin Cromwell said: “I’m just thrilled to win a Grade 1. I haven’t won a Grade 1 in Ireland for over four years, that’s just the nature of how competitive it is here.

“He’s a proper one. I brought him along slowly and he’s answered every call, hopefully he’ll improve again.

“We’ve always liked and he’s progressive. I was very pushy to get someone to buy him and thankfully Paddy and Yvonne (Sheanon) did.

“Fair play to Paddy (Sheanon, owner) he was brave and put the money out, he’s getting rewarded.

“He was still a little bit keen, but I think he’s going to learn every day. He’s a straightforward horse, but he just wants to get on with it - he’ll be fine. The more he does, the more he’ll improve.”

When asked how the form would measure up with the English horses he added: “You don’t know until they meet. They look very good, they are very smart, and we’ll know early in March.”

Donoghue added: "A good performance.

"Settled a little bit better today, but he's still learning. He's still a little bit too keen in snatches.

"Jumping got better as the race went on and he kept going well to the line.

"The plan was to get cover, get him settled, and try to get him to do things right for future.

"He did too much wrong here the last day and he is still only learning. He still did plenty wrong today as well, so hopefully he will learn from it.

"That's two out of two now, so hopefully he will progress again for Cheltenham."

Hello Neighbour won twice on the Flat at Navan and Roscommon, before picking up a Grade 2 at Leopardstown on hurdle debut over Christmas.

Paddy Power trimmed him from 5/1 to 9/2 (non runner no bet) for the Triumph Hurdle.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson