Royal Moll won the mares’ maiden hurdle at Galway despite looking in trouble around the home bend. She ultimately stayed on well under Paul Townend to win by a length and a quarter.

The King’s Theatre mare was backed down to 4/5 from 4/6 and found plenty coming to the final hurdle in this two mile race. Upon clearing the last, however, she had to fend off Catimini who flew home down the outside for second at 9/2.

Catimini, with Kevin Sexton in the plate, was beaten a length and a quarter. She was the subject of a major gamble – 12/1 this morning, then opened at 8s and backed at all rates down to 9/2. Keith’s Delight was third at 10/1.

Paul Townend said: “She did it well in the end as she stays very well. She missed the second last a bit, but she jumped adequately. She got away with that trip on the ground, but she needs further.”

Royal Moll brought up an across-the-card double for Willie Mullins as Twinlight won the Grade 3 chase over in Naas.

The six-year-old had won a mares’ bumper in Sligo in August by two lengths on her only other racecourse appearance.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes