Devils Bit a close third on the Flat at Leopardstown last time, reverted to hurdles with good effect when justifying good support (9/4-13/8) in the www.gowranpark.ie Hurdle.

The entire son of Montjeu headed the front-running 9/10 favourite Magical Memoir two out and soon asserted under Sean McDermott. The rider could afford to ease her right down in the closing stages and still score by seven lengths. Fammi Sognare (11/1) briefly looked a threat turning in but found little off the bridle to finish a further four and a half lengths back in third.

Winning trainer John O'Shea said: “He did it well, although they didn't go too fast and a stronger pace would have suited my fella. I thought there would have been more of an ease in the ground with all the rain around. He'll go for the four-year-old novice hurdle on the first day at Galway. He's still an entire and I'd be a bit worried that he might boil over some day.”

Alan Magee