Useful schooling exercise for Alpha Des Obeaux

The anticipated clash between two of last year’s leading staying hurdlers did not materialise at Thurles, but, in the absence of Prince Of Scars, the opening race proved a worthwhile schooling exercise for the Mouse Morris-trained Alpha Des Obeaux.

Bar being in tight at a couple of fences, he produced a smart round of jumping, and his class told late on as he asserted to beat Round Tower more comfortably than the length-and-a-half winning margin would indicate.

It was only his second time over fences, following a disappointing display at Tipperary, and he has quite some way to go to scale the heights in this sphere, but there was little wrong with this effort.