Ballinrobe's season-opening Bowers Bar & Restaurant Maiden Hurdle today was a two-horse race on paper and materialised that way, with Broomfield Bijou (11/8) over-turning Banntown Girl (8/11f) and finishing clear of the remainder.

Broomfield Bijou headed leader Banntown Girl at the last and scored by nine lengths, with 33 lengths to third-placed Female Approach which headed the remaining 11 runners.

Broomfield Bijou was trained and ridden by father/son Philip and Luke Dempsey and afterwards trainer Philip said “she'd a few lovely runs and was a bit unlucky in Navan where she was travelling very well when a horse fell in front of her. It's great to get her maiden out of the way.

"I was a bit concerned about the ground, because she doesn't want it heavy, but when I walked it I thought it was lovely ground. She's a nice mare going forward over fences and might have one more run this season, we'll see how she is.”

Quotes from Mark Nunan