In-form Custom Cut made it three handicap victories in a row when guided home by five-pound claimer Ronan Whelan who was securing a double on the Naas card.

Whelan took the six-runner field along in the seven furlong race and then booted for home over a furlong out on the 7/4 favourite and the three-year-old gelding stretched away to win unchallenged by two and a half lengths. Captain Cullen ran on well for second at 5/2. He had been 4/1 in the morning.

The win for Whelan followed his success on Stones Peak earlier on the card.

George Kent trains Custom Cut who had previously won at Cork and Down Royal and he said: “I was worried about today as Naas is different to Cork and Down Royal.

“He’s thriving in his racing and I wish I had a few more like him. I bought him as a lead horse!”

“I suppose we’ll look at Galway. There’s a heap of options there for him. He’s in at Tipperary at the weekend as well.”

Michael Graham (on course reporting by Gary Carson)