Trade Marked returned to form when appreciating the much better ground conditions to take the Thorney Bridge Novice Handicap Hurdle at Clonmel.

The Austin Leahy-trained gelding was successful on the Flat at Killarney back in July but got stuck in the mud at the Listowel Festival last time.

The dual-purpose gelding was as big as 22/1 this morning and further supported on track from 14/1 down to 12/1 on this good ground.

Eoin O’Connell, partnering his first winner for Leahy and his seventh in total, oozed confidence as his mount led two out and soon asserted.

He stayed on strongly for an easy six lengths victory from Balinaboola Lass with Winsor Vixen a further three and a half lengths back in third.

Leahy said, “He ran poorly on the Flat at Listowel but that was on heavy and the better ground suited today. I’ve no plans at the moment but he may go back on the Flat and could run at Dundalk.”

(TW & AM)