The I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle at Gowran boiled down to a match between the first two in the betting from after the third last flight. For the second time in as many races at the County Kilkenny venue today, a favourite took the spoils with Easywork (11/8) winning.

In the straight it soon became apparent that Easywork was travelling better than Mount Leinster (2/1).

Mount Leinster got the second last flight wrong ('missed' a few hurdles throughout). To his credit the Mullins runner was better at the final flight.

The Gordon Elliott-trained and Davy Russell-ridden Easywork was always containing his challenge though, to score by a length and a half.

They left Arakan Quest twenty two lengths back in third.

Said Elliott on the Gigginstown House Stud-owned victor: “He’s a grand horse and he loves that soft ground.

“I really fancied him in a winners’ bumper last season and they were two fair horses that beat him.

“There is a nice bit of improvement in him and he’ll be a grand horse when he jumps a fence. Whatever he does this year will only be a bonus for next year.”

(AM & EM)