D Art D Art obliges over flights for Cooper and Meyler

D Art D Art reaped the benefits of his debut over hurdles last month to land the opening maiden hurdle in Cork.

He shaped with encouragement at Naas where a mistake at the penultimate flight halted his progress before he finished seventh. It was a different story today, though.

He was always to the fore in disputing the lead with Will Wilde and led turning for home. Paggane looked a significant threat on his outer particularly when D Art D Art walked through two out.

Paggane tried to get on terms with the leader, however, D Art D Art put in a excellent jump at the last to seal the deal.

Donagh Meyler drove him home by three and a-quarter lengths at 10/3 from the 9/4 runner-up. St Faz was nine lengths further adrift in third at 33/1.

Trainer Tom Cooper said: "We dropped him in at Naas, but he got crowded and, with more light today, jumped savage and was deadly. 

"Ricky Doyle schooled him over hurdles before he ran at Naas and said he never saw a horse go from 'A to B' as quick. 

"Sean (Flanagan, on Will Wilde) took him on early doors today and while he was gaining on the flat, my fella was gaining over the jumps. He was low and quick.

"His form is on heavy, but yielding ground shouldn't inconvenience him.

"I didn't think beyond today and it is hard to know where to go now."

D Art D Art won his bumper on debut at Gowran Park in January and was considered good enough to contest the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival where he finished towards the rear.

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes