The J.P. McManus owned, ex-Ballydoyle trained Unicorn continued the good recent work of his new trainer Joseph O’Brien when winning the opening Keeping It Country Richie Remo Maiden Hurdle

Downpatrick today.

Jody McGarvey has made hay this summer with the injuries to McManus’ principal jockeys Barry Geraghty and Mark Walsh and today steered Unicorn to a hard enough fought four lengths win over Iolani

O’Brien, who recently won the Galway Hurdle with McManus’ Tigris River, was absent but McGarvey later said “he was very disappointing the first two runs but travelled and jumped well today and got his head in front and did it well.

"He has been a bit of a monkey and Joseph put the cheek-pieces on him today and they seem to have worked. He was probably just the best horse in a weak race.

“He had a fair level on the Flat but just hadn't really put it into his hurdle form.

"It was great to get his head in front today."

Unicorn, a son of Galileo, had previously won a Leopardstown flat maiden in 2015, when ridden by his new trainer Joseph O’Brien.

Quotes from Michael Graham