Van Rooney lunged late, under Wayne Lordan, to grab victory in the mile maiden at Killarney. Custom Cut looked to have done enough when poaching a few lengths over a furlong out but was just nabbed close home.

Lordan got a good tune from the 9/4 joint favourite inside the final furlong and he put his head in front in the dying strides for a neck success.

The Tommy Stack-trained winner had been placed on three out of four starts last season and was making his return to action today.

"I thought he would need the run. I'd been waiting on goodish ground for him and he probably wasn't 100 per cent. Hopefully he'll improve away," said Fozzy Stack afterwards.

The other joint favourite Lucciola could only finish sixth.

Gary Carson & Thomas Weekes