The Gordon Elliott trained Delta Work ran out an emphatic winner of the Kildare Hunt Club Maiden Hurdle.

The French import finished second on his Irish debut at Cork earlier this month, and was well-fancied to go one place better this evening.

Sent off the 10/11 favourite (touched evens), he was settled in second by Bryan Cooper, as market rival Herminio attempted to make all.

The winning son of Network closed the gap on the front-runner before three out, and he hit the front on the approach to the straight, soon stretching clear, going on to score by twenty lengths.

50/1 chance Sea Bank came through to take second under Ryan Treacy for Harry Rogers, while the aforementioned Herminio (5/2) was another four and a half lengths back in third for Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins.

Elliott said afterwards: "We think he's a nice horse. We'll probably send him home for a month now and then have him back in to have him going early.

"Jumping is his game and Bryan said he'd come on from that again."

On Jack Kennedy's injury Elliott added: "I just know that he's gone to the hospital. Hopefully he's not too bad."

STEWARDS REPORT

R. Loughran, rider of Mr Champers trained by Adrian Paul Keatley, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount hung badly to the left during this race.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson