Music Drive had to work to justify his short price in the opening Tote Maiden Hurdle at Galway this afternoon.

The Gordon Elliott-trained gelding went to post 2/5 favourite in the two-mile-three contest having shown a decent level in bumpers last season, including finishing eighth at Cheltenham.

Jack Kennedy tracked the leaders on the hotpot before taking closer order going to the second last.

He asked his mount to claim front-runner Rolly Bowley Boy at the final flight and the Muhtathir gelding stayed on for pressure on the run-in to record a two-and-three-parts-of-a-length win.

125/1 outsider Tomas O Maille kept on late to take the runner-up post.

Elliott said:- “Looking at him in the ring I thought he looked a bit big and Jack said he’d come on a lot from it. We’re just trying to start a few of them off and they will come on plenty for it.

“We’ll keep it small with him and he could go further. Going by on the first circuit I thought he was going as quick as he wanted. Jack said the further he went the more he tries.”

Kennedy had just returned from a broken collarbone yesterday and Elliott added:-

“More important it’s great to have Jack back, that is number one.”

(Quotes by Alan Magee)