Coquin Mans got his hurdling career back on track when taking the Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle in impressive fashion at Fairyhouse.

The six-year-old gelding was unlucky when slipping up on the level at prohibitive odds in Clonmel before Christmas and has been sidelined since.

The easy-to-back 7/1 chance was prominent throughout in this 2m4f Grade 2, and stayed on strongly in the straight.

Paul Townend had plenty of horse under him coming home five and a half lengths clear of Diamond Cauchois with Let’s Dance another eight lengths away in third.

Winning trainer Willie Mullins said, “You can probably take it that he’d have won coming down the hill at Clonmel the last day! He was just unfortunate the last day falling on the flat. He had a little pin-prick cut in his knee that went right into his knee and took a while for him to recuperate.

“He looks a horse with an engine and one to look forward to over fences next season. He’ll go to Punchestown and it’s great to see the Hurricane Fly colours back in the winners’ enclosure again.”

Townend said, “It's a bit of a trend today, being handy is a help. I didn't think I was going to gain too much by going out where the boys went so I stuck around the inner.

“It was a fair performance out of him because he was plenty keen and hadn't the ideal preparation for it but he did it again so fair play to him. To be fair he's never done anything wrong and his run behind Melon looks very good now after what he's done.

“The two of them are probably progressing on together. I'm not saying he's in the same class but he's doing everything right.”

(GC & AM)