John Brennan has had many good horses run in his colours over the years and he has another smart one in the Henry de Bromhead-trained Darwins Fox (5s into 7/2), an impressive victor of the Listed European Breeders Fund Irish Racing Writers Hurdle at Naas.

Andrew Lynch 's mount unleashed a telling turn of foot on the run-in to prevail by three and a half lengths from the even money favourite Tornedo Shay

De Bromhead said: "I think he's a nice horse – I hope so anyway. I'm delighted with him, although he was getting weight and that played into our hands.

"To say I was surprised that he got beaten at Limerick (2nd to Stephanie Kate at Christmas) would be an understatement.

"Andrew and I put our heads together today and I told him what I wanted – he gave him a brilliant ride. He's a horse that wants a good dig and he'll stick to wherever he gets softer ground."