Aughnacurraveel was a bit slow into his stride, when brought out of the parade ring to go to post, but he came home full of vigour to land the concluding www.valuecentre.ie (Q.R.) Handicap at Dundalk under Declan Lavery.

The useful jumper made a pleasing start on this surface three weeks back and promised to be well suited to the step-up to two miles tonight.

So it transpired as the ten-year-old came from off the pace. Making his ground half a mile out, Aughnacurraveel eventually led two furlongs out, going on from a furlong out to beat Carvelas by three and three parts of a length.

Thomas Cummins trains Aughnacurraveel for his wife Alice and he said of the well-backed favourite (7/2, from 6s this morning): "When he's right he's very good. We had a lot of trouble with him last year when he was sick.

"He's going on his holidays now as he shouldn't be running at all at this time of year.

"We might have a crack at the Galway Plate with him - Carlingford Lough won it without winning a novice." (GC & EM)