L'Attesa (10/1) asserted after the last and put away the 2/1 favourite Magnetic Force in the extended two and a quarter mile handicap hurdle at Downpatrick.

Jockey Ian McCarthy sent the seven-year-old gelding to the front before the last and the duo stayed on well to win by a length and three quarters from the favourite.

It was nine lengths back to Persian Wind in third at 5/1.

Thomas Mulligan from Kildare heads up the winning Red, Green & White Syndicate and said: "There are 11 guys in the syndicate from all over - from Dublin, from Mayo, from England - and we are together five years and this means so much. We had four or five horses up to now but this is our first winner.

"He had a decent run in Down Royal and ran in Wexford after that and the ground was bottomless and they shouldn't have raced that day. I think that took a lot out of him.

"When he goes chasing he will be a serious horse. He had his issues last year but he is back to where we want him. He'll be back here chasing. Shane (Nolan) was confident coming here today.

"We are looking at the Flat in Galway, I think it's a mile and five or a mile and six."

Trainer Shane Nolan led up L'Attesa.

Ian McCarthy is set to be part of the Irish team which will travel to Australia for the annual Ireland V Australia Jockeys Challenge next month.

He will also be joined on the trip 'down under' by Luke Dempsey. The series will take place from August 20th-28th.