The Nutcracker followed up her win from last year by taking the Breaffy House Resort Mares Handicap Hurdle for the in-form pair, Tom Gibney and Mark Flanagan, at Ballinrobe.

There was a fair amount of incident in this extended two miler. As early as the first Dragon Fei got rid of Robbie Colgan and he had to miss out on his ride on Methodology in the next.

Three of them went at the second last, Do Na Paisti falling and bringing Flaviana and Josephine Marcus out with her.

In the end The Nutcracker (9/1) came through going well into second on the outer between the last two, after getting a patient steer.

The Antonius Pius mare led at the last and got the better of Isabella Liberty on the run-in by half a length.

"I'm thrilled with her. Last year we really fancied her coming here but she was rated seventeen pounds higher today and she had to prove it," reflected Gibney.

"She had a bit of luck late on as she missed the carnage but sure you need that.

"She loves the hurdles so she might just stick to them for the time being and see how we go. When it looks like we have gone as far as we can we will probably switch back to the Flat then."

Paddy Kennedy was brought to hospital in Castlebar to be checked out after his spill from Do Na Paisti.

(DM & EM)