The fitting of a hood certainly did Drumlee no harm as he convincingly justified odds-on favouritism in the Nobber Maiden Hurdle at Navan.

On attempt number seven over flights, the close relative to Brave Inca, was never far away under David Casey, and led going down the back straight.

Casey was always looking happy going over the final three flights, though his mount wasn't too clever at the second last.

However, the J P McManus-owned and Charlie Swan-trained Drumlee was soon gone beyond recall and went on to beat the outsiders, Brod Na Heireann (66/1) and Killer Miller (25/1, stormed home) by two and three parts of a length and half a length.

Swan pondered afterwards: "He's rated 120 and he'd really want to be winning that. That'll give him a bit of confidence and he's just been coming up against better horses.

"He tends to be a little bit keen.

"We'll see what's coming up and he'll go for a winners race or a handicap." (AM & EM)