Golden Sunbird with Michael Doran up, got the better of Out Now and Paddy Mangan in a tremendous conclusion to the Holmes O'Malley Sexton Maiden Hurdle at Limerick.

The pair battled it out from three out and indeed Out Now stuck his nose in front on the run-in. However the mare Golden Sunbird is certainly game and in the closing stages she got back up to prevail by a head. They left the third placed Vics Canvas eleven lengths behind in third.

James Nolan, brother of the winning trainer, Paul, said: "She deserved that. People were saying that her jumping was letting her down. The problem was that she was too careful over her hurdles and she was over-jumping them – it was like she was jumping fences.

"She was very good today and got a very good ride. She is game and she is tough and we won't hang around with her over hurdles for too much longer. We'll look at a three mile hurdle next - that's what she probably wants."