A bloodless victory for Jon Snow

The Guinness Novice Hurdle, in the absence of yesterday’s winner The Very Man, was a fairly uncompetitive heat by Galway Festival standards, and 2/7 favourite Jon Snow had little difficulty seeing off his three rivals.

The 5-y-o gelding by Le Havre made all under Paul Townend. Belfast Banter tried to close on him as they approached the final flight, but the winner eased clear up the run-in for a very straightforward success with 8 lengths the winning margin at the line.

A winner on the Flat in France, Jon Snow was a beaten favourite on his first three starts over hurdles before winning at Leopardstown in March.

David Casey, assistant to winning trainer Willie Mullins, said: “Paul (Townend) said he was good, he said he enjoyed the trip and the ground.

“It was great, it was a bit of confidence for him again. Hopefully he can improve away.

“We were disappointed it took him as long as it did to win his maiden. I'd say the run in the Curragh brought him on.

“He has a bit of size so I'd say he could mix it between Flat, hurdles and over fences.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson