A more fluent jump at the last saw Audrelles Lad win the Eamon Sheridan Plant Hire Hurdle at Ballinrobe over outsider Free To Dream

This was trainer Oliver Brady’s third winner from his last five runners and the nine-year-old gelding was popular in early trading today from 3/1 to an SP of 9/4 in the two and a half mile contest.

Brian Hayes steered his mount, who was going nicely, into the lead at two out, but Free To Dream was moving well just behind despite his odds of 16/1. They jumped the last in unison but Audrelles Lad’s better jump won the day by a length.

After a run of three consecutive second placed finishes Audrelles Lad wasn’t winning out of turn.

Anthony McCann, representing Oliver Brady, said: “He’s stepping up to the mark every time. He’s a good ground horse and he didn’t like the ground today, but his class got him through.

“He might go for a novice hurdle on the second day of Galway. He’s improving all the time.

“He’s only been in training since he was eight last year so there could be more to come.”

Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh teamed up with 11/10 favourite Passage Vendome but this one could find no extra before the last and came in third.

Classy dual-purpose horse Universal Truth from Dermot Weld’s yard would have been an interesting runner on his first outing off a 269-day break. He was forecast favourite but was scratched from the race due to the change in going.

Michael Graham (on course reporting by Eamonn Murphy)