Gatsby Grey looks a useful prospect for Oliver McKiernan after getting off the mark over hurdles at the first time of asking in the Keith Lynch Memorial Maiden Hurdle at Limerick.

The French-bred gelding won a bumper for Declan Queally at Navan last spring and has since joined the Rathcoole trainer.

Barry Browne produced the five-year-old to lead away from the penultimate flight and the 6/1 chance soon took control keeping on well on the run-in to score by seven lengths. Kings Keeper took the runner-up spot with 5/2 favourite a further two and a quarter lengths back in third.

McKiernan said, "He is a tricky enough horse and worked a few times at home on sand and didn't enlighten me but Barry said the horse was holding his breath.

“He did a good piece of work two weeks ago at Punchestown and he turned inside out. He jumped well today and we're delighted with that.

"We were laughing coming down because I withdrew him a few days ago from the Grade 1 race at Naas in January and was saying to the boys that if he runs away with this race today we'll be kicking ourselves.

"He can run a bit and is a soft ground horse."

(TW & AM)