Trainer Tim Doyle's homebred Metamorpheus (14/1) is on course for a tilt at Cheltenham's Boodles Hurdle in March, following a useful success in Punchestown's opening 15% Off Festival Tickets Maiden Hurdle today. Calico the 5/6 favourite, went for home from the second-last but was slow jumping the final flight and was soon pressed by Metamorpheus, under a more patient Cian Quirke ride. The winning son of Morpheus led on the run-in, beating Almuhit by five lengths with Calico finishing third.

Doyle, whose wife Claire bred the winner, said “we bred him, the mare (Coral Dawn) died last year but she bred some good horses for us and his brother Sailors Warn was a Grade 1 (placed) hurdler for Edward O'Grady, so the pedigree is there for the job.

“She was a tough mare and breeds that into the stock - they are all tough and hardy."

He added “from the first day we schooled him, knew he was a natural. He had a smashing run in Limerick and came on from that. We'd have to consider the Boodles (at Cheltenham) or something like that for him now but will probably needs another run for experience. He's a small horse and he'll handle good ground as well.

“He only had one run as a two-year-old, when backward, and then was sick early last summer so we didn't get to run him. He was in all summer but just wasn't firing. As soon as we schooled him though we knew he was going to be a natural.”

Quotes from Gary Carson