Larkwing takes Tipperary spoils

Larkwing showed a touch of class under Barry Geraghty to win the Kevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary.

Eric McNamara's seven-year-old was always in a prominent pitch as Salford City and Kalderon fought out the early throes of a competitive-looking Grade Three heat.

Once the early pacesetters flattened out, Definate Spectacle picked up the gauntlet before the last.

Larkwing drew upsides his nearest rival at the final flight, however, and stretched clear when it mattered to win by two and a half lengths.

McNamara's 7-2 chance was having his first start since finishing down the field in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

McNamara said: "We left him alone after Cheltenham, where we felt he ran disappointingly.

"We felt he had had enough racing at that stage and gelded him straight away.

"We brought back him back fresh with this race in mind and we'll try to find more opportunities like this.

"He can also revert to the Flat if need be."

Noel Meade said of the runner-up: "He'll definitely go to the Galway Hurdle and I'm very happy with the run."

Johnny Murtagh stole the show in the Flat action on the mixed card with a near 30-1 treble for owner John Magnier.

The on-song pilot firstly struck gold when Aidan O'Brien's Hail Caesar (11-4) did the business in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

The striking grey son of Montjeu was making his racecourse debut and was given a quote of 25-1 for the Epsom Derby after a taking performance.

Murtagh then booted the David Wachman-trained Pyrenees home at odds of 5-1 in the Irish Wheelchair Association Premier Mascot Derby Handicap.

The jockey's easiest success of the day came 30 minutes later however when Psalm did what was expected of a 4-11 hotpot in the Dan Dooley Ford Motor Centre Maiden.