The veteran 12-year-old Captain Cee Bee showed there is still plenty in the tank as he retained the Grade 2 Friends Of Tipperary Hurdle in great style for owner JP McManus.

He hadn’t been seen on a racecourse since running fourth to Hurricane Fly in the Irish Champion Hurdle in January, but wasn’t lacking any fitness today.

Mark Walsh brought him through to lead between the second last and last flight and from there he bounded away with plenty of verve to come in clear by five and a half lengths and justify 15/8 favouritism.

His market rival Midnight Game (3/1) could make no impression on the gap and came in second, while False Economy got a nice cheque for third.

Jockey Mark Walsh said: “He’s brilliant. If you rode horses like him every day it makes the job a lot easier. I got there a bit soon. He pinged the second last and I kept him rolling with hands and heels.

“You couldn’t retire a horse like him. It wasn’t as good a race as last year, but he’s still showing the right signs.”

A delighted trainer Eddie Harty said: “He’s something else and he’s a class horse. There’s not much more you can say about him. It mightn’t have been the strongest Grade 2, but it wasn’t a bad race. For a horse of his age it’s brilliant.

“I was a tiny bit worried three out, but Mark said there was plenty there and he nearly got there too soon and it turned into a bit of a sprint.

“If he needed coaxing he’d be a waste of time, but he’s like AP [McCoy] and he doesn’t want to retire. I’m just so thrilled to win today.

“We’ll take a deep breath now and see what’s coming up, but we won’t go to the well too often.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes