Despite proving friendless with punters, the Willie Mullins trained Poly Rock came home a comfortable winner of the opener at Clonmel this afternoon, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle.

As short as 4/7 in early shows, the seven-year-old son of Policy Maker opened on-course at 9/4, touching 11/4, before going off a 5/2 chance under Paul Townend.

Settled in third, the Supreme Horse Racing Club owned victor improved into second from three out. He came through to lead before the next, and soon stretched clear, going on to score easily by thirteen lengths. Allardyce (11/4 last night, and from 13/8 into 11/8 favouritism on-course), proved no match for the winner, and he finished second under Phillip Enright for Edward O'Grady. Cluan Dara (9/1) completed the placings, another seven lengths back in third under Tommy Brett for John Ryan.

Paul Townend said afterwards on Attheraces: "He's inexperienced and I committed myself sooner than I wanted to but he's jumped well and is entitled to improve a lot for it.

"We had the best of it (the ground) and now that its opened up it is only going to get worse. It's dead and hard work.

"Philip (Enright) missed a couple of hurdles up the back and I got into a good rhythm on my lad. When I landed alongside him my lad was having a look around so I went about my business then."

The French bred victor was bought by Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins for E22,000 at Goffs in June of 2014.