Bruno delivers knockout blow on hurdling debut

Encanto Bruno made a very impressive hurdling debut when making all the running to easily dismiss his rivals in the Bar One Racing Price Boosts All Channels Maiden Hurdle at Bellewstown.

A former point-to-point winner, the John McConnell trained five-year-old won his first two starts in bumpers before finishing down the field in the Cheltenham equivalent in March. On that occasion, he was far from disgraced, finishing a respectable 11th of 21 runners.

Making his reappearance after a 115-day break, the Mahler gelding was sent straight into the lead under jockey Ben Harvey and was never headed. Stretching clear of his rivals inside the final half-mile, he could even afford the luxury of a novicey jump at the second last before regaining momentum to run out an easy 13 length winner.

John McConnell said: "He is good. He is running at the wrong trip there but Derek (Kierans, owner) is back from America for a couple of weeks and this is his local.

"It was the target for a long time and we thought his class would get him through even though he is going to be a two and a half to three mile horse.

"It was a long one or a short one (two out) and they went long, he was really, really good to do that first time up.

"We get these point-to-pointers and they are so well schooled - Colin Motherway today and the Crawfords with Kinbara yesterday - they are push button really. I just have to not mess it up!

"We never had him right the whole winter/spring, he didn't eat well and it wasn't ulcers as we treated him for ulcers. I switched his stable and he was a different horse in three or four days, he was eating and was just a happier horse.

"He has got a lot more weight on him today - he's not a gross horse, he's quite a light-framed horse and a big, big engine.

"He'd be similar to my other ones, he will probably have another couple of runs before November. He's not a winter heavy- ground Navan horse, have a little break and hopefully come back for the festivals if he is good enough. You would be hopeful (he is good enough)."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham