Bottom-weight Mark Me Up (5/1) ploughed through the heavy ground at Down Royal to give Phillip Rothwell and Declan Bates a winner in the two mile novice handicap hurdle.

The seven-year-old son of Mark Of Esteem stretched away before the last and was six lengths to the good over Sorted (3/1) at the winning post. 2/1 favourite Liszt was pipped for second by a nose.

Phillip Rothwell said: “We were second when Sorted was third at Limerick and we had a weight pull today so we took our chance and are delighted that it paid off.

“We’ll see what the handicapper does with him. If he isn’t too hard on him we could go to Fairyhouse in three weeks time. If he is hard on him he could be out at the weekend.”

Michael Graham