Poli Roi does well to survive this mistake at the last© Photo Healy Racing
The 1-4 favourite Poli Roi got the job done in the opener at Down Royal, the Eventsec Maiden Hurdle.
Successful in a point-to-point and bumper last season, the Gordon Elliott trained five-year-old then finished third in the Grade 1 Champion Bumper at the Punchestown Festival in April.
He was disappointingly beaten into second on his debut over flights at Galway last month, and was stepped up to two mile six today.
Settled behind the leaders by Davy Russell, he improved to challenge the front-running Asbury Boss before two out.
He got to the front soon after that flight, and went clear before the last, where he made a mistake. He recovered quickly from that error and kept on well on the run-in, despite swishing his tail.
The aforementioned Asbury Boss (33/1) was three and a quarter lengths back in second under Bryan Cooper for his father Tom, while Miracle In Medinah (7/1) was another eighteen lengths away in third, with Mark Walsh aboard for Elliott.
Davy Condon, representing Elliott who is in America with Beckford, said afterwards: "Davy (Russell) was delighted with him, he said he jumped those hurdles a lot better than the Easyfix hurdles the last day. The last day he got a bit tired but today he was spot on and he jumped a lot better.
"He said he stayed really well as well, He still had loads of horse at the last. He lost a shoe at the last and probably just stood on himself after it and pecked a bit.
"I'd say he gave himself a fright too. Davy said he was going a bit too well down to it but he kept the forward momentum.
"He's definitely a horse to look forward to for the winter. He'll be a lovely staying horse over hurdles but his future is obviously over fences as he's a big horse. He'll have no bother with three miles, he stays well."
Paddy Power cut Poli Roi from 50/1 to 25/1 for the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham.
STEWARDS REPORTS
C.D. Maxwell, rider of Dark Du Tabert Aa (FR) trained by John G. Carr, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount never travelled and pulled up.
Additional reporting by Michael Graham
