"It was hard fought – he needed to jump the last and he did," said Willie Mullins after his globe-trotting star Simenon got back to winning ways under Paul Townend in the Grade 3 Kevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary.

Townend's mount had to fight to get the better of Darwins Fox over the final two and the 10/11 favourite, who is nothing if not tough, prevailed in the end by a length and a quarter.

Mullins further reflected: "It can be very tough in those flat races so it's good to get his head in front again.

"He's in everything from the Irish St Leger to the American St Leger and it also opens up jumps races in America for him.

"He'll be entered for the Galway Hurdle but I'm not sure if he'd run carrying top-weight in it.

"The Nakayama jumps race has a huge prize (Mullins won it last year with Blackstairmountain) and that's another option.

"He'll go somewhere where it's good ground like today. He's not a winter campaigner. He just has lots of options now."

The Stewards requested a report from P. Carberry, rider of Draycott Place in relation to the fact that his mount jumped a hurdle on the way to the start. The rider reported that this horse took a keen hold on the way down and he was unable to pull him up and prevent him from jumping the hurdle. Having viewed a recording of the incident and considered the report, the Stewards accepted the explanation given and took no further action.

(TW & EM)