Days Ahead has been a good servant to Eoin Doyle since he got him out of Ger Lyons' and he ran out a convincing winner under Andrew McNamara in the opening Kilkenny 3-y-o Hurdle at Gowran.

Owned by Maurice Mason and a grouping that includes Kilkenny All-Ireland winning captain of 1993, Eddie O'Connor, Days Ahead led at the second and he was clear from before the last on the way to beating Ember Jack by four and a half lengths.

Doyle said: "He has been unlucky a few times. He might go for the Irish Field Hurdle at Punchestown. He'll be a nice horse next year. Andrew said he wouldn't want it any heavier. He wouldn't want winter heavy."