As De Pique gained a second win of the year at Gowran today, as the 11 year old gelding led home a 1-2 for his trainer Gavin Cromwell in the Byrne Marquees Handicap Chase, scoring under regular jockey Brien Kane over stablemate Raz De Maree

Kane has steered the son of Woods Of Windsor to each of his last 14 races, which have included two wins this year and three in 2015 and today the pair eventually got the better of a tussle with Raz De Maree on the run-in, in an attritional 3m1f race.

Following the race, Cromwell stated “he's not a completely natural jumper but if he can get involved he has the engine.

"I was delighted with Raz De Maree as well, and he probably needed the run.

"We will be looking at the two Nationals (Munster & Cork) and the Troytown for both of them."

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee