Darver Star made just about every yard of the running to give jockey Keith Donoghue an early birthday present in the Joe Cooney Memorial Hurdle at Kilbeggan.

The Gavin Cromwell trained ten-year-old had hinted at a return to form when second at Cork last time and duly stepped up to take the main honours here.

Sent into an early lead by Donoghue, the 2020 Champion Hurdle third, steadied the pace at various stages of the race before kicking on into the straight.

Donoghue, perhaps conscious that it was the geldings first run in excess of 3m, rode a waiting race from the front, using his horses turn of foot to great effect.

“He did it well. We were very hopeful coming here, we think those races suit him,” said Donoghue.

“As he's getting a bit older the Grade Ones and Twos just put him out of his comfort zone but in those races he can get in control and get into a rhythm and he really likes that.

“Obviously he used to run in the Champion Hurdle so he has plenty of toe and I was cautious enough over three-one today.

“I went to Lingfield to ride him before and probably went too soon on him so, if I didn't learn from that, I would have been raging if I had done that today.

“He loves jumping hurdles, down to the last there wasn't much and I was just squeezing him and he came up out of my hands and was very quick at it.

“He was probably just doing enough going to the line.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson