Brex quickly follows-up on Kilbeggan success

Brex Drago quickly followed-up on his win at Kilbeggan on Friday, as he took the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle.

The Gavin Cromwell trained six-year-old went up eight pounds for that Kilbeggan success, but carried just a six pound winners penalty here

Sent off the 3/1 favourite, the Italian import was settled behind the leaders by Brien Kane, and was fifth with a circuit to race.

He was pushed along in second approaching the straight, and hit the front shortly after two out, keeping on well under pressure from the last, going on to score by a length and a quarter. Slippery Serpent (13/2) finished second under Phillip Enright for Edward O'Grady, while the well-backed Internal Transfer (10s in early shows and from 4s to 7/2 on-course) was another length and three parts back in third.

Cromwell said afterwards: "He handled that soft ground fine and has plenty of form on very soft on the Flat so hopefully he'll have a nice winter ahead of him.

"He stayed well but could also come back to two miles and I'll aim for something similar."

The winner, who won nine times on the level in Italy, was bought by owners Marahan Limited for 18,000 guineas at Tattersalls in February.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes