The betting said that the Leopardstown.com Maiden Hurdle was a match between Darroun and Hisaabaat and so it proved out on the track too with the former edging things by a length and a quarter under Paul Townend.

Hisaabaat may have travelled the better to the business end but the front-running Darroun found more when required and the pair left Edeymi three lengths back in third. To The Sky was backed at 66/1 this morning, he ended up a 16/1 shot and finished a further seven lengths back in fourth.

Willie Mullins trains Darroun for Susannah Ricci and he said: "Better ground suits and he's improving all the time.

"He'll jump a fence in time. Paul really got him jumping today and he seems to be more confident jumping on better ground. He'll go for the Triumph.

"Paul said he appeared to lose his action a bit turning in but he seems to be okay."

Paddy Power go 20s unchanged whilst Stan James are 16/1 from 20s for the JCB Triumph Hurdle. (AM & EM)