The Busy Fool, near side, fends them off© Photo Healy Racing
It has been a tremendous season for Philip Rothwell and he watched The Busy Fool bring up 43 winners for his stable when successful in the novice handicap hurdle at Tipperary.
The Busy Fool was there to be shot at in the straight as James O'Sullivan asked the leader for more.
He then edged left after jumping two out and no less than four horses were eyeing him as they approached the last.
The leader jumped it particularly well and, although Splashing Out came with a challenge on the far side in conjunction with Killeemore Lad on the near side, the 11/5 favourite found plenty to tough it out by a length and a-quarter.
Killeemore Lad took the runner-up berth at 10/1 (from a morning price of 33s) and was a short head in front of Splashing Out (5/1).
Rothwell said: "He is big raw horse, we took our time with him and he is improving. The nicer ground has brought out improvement as well and that will sharpen him.
"He had been placed in three maiden hurdles at good winter tracks and hopefully he will come forward now.
"I'll see how he is tomorrow and we might keep him for another fortnight or let him off and forget about him until maybe Down Royal next November.
"He won't see a chase fence for 12 months."
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
