Clarkey named after Limerick hurling ace of the 90s, Dave Clarke, finally got off the mark under Rules, almost four years after winning a Dromahane point-to-point for Ciaran O'Brien in April 2005. Alan Crowe sported the silks of Sean Mulryan on the first-time blinkered Christy Roche-trained runner.

In an unusual incident before the straight, Paddy Flood's reins on favourite, Erritt Lake seemed to get caught around Clarkey's nose. However that didn't hinder Crowe's mount for long, who led before the second last and went on to defeat Alexander Seaview by two and a half lengths in the Holy Cross Maiden Hurdle.

Christy Roche said: "We put blinkers on him the other day and I thought he went slower but desperate men do desperate things because he looked like a good horse at one stage." (EM)