Feel Des Mottes wins on Irish debut for Doyle

A better jump at the last enabled French-import Feel Des Mottes to rally past Morning Skye in the closing stages of the BetVictor Maiden Hurdle at Killarney.

Liz Doyle 's recruit had been headed by Morning Skye after the penultimate flight in this two mile one furlong contest but the latter then clipped the top of the last.

Feel Des Mottes, who was almost on terms at the last, grabbed his opportunity as he got away from it the better and kept on to score by three parts of a length at 6/1 on Irish debut.

Runner-up Morning Skye went off 5/2 favourite for trainer/jockey Denis Hogan. He was 16 lengths ahead of 66/1 shot Mary Ellis

Liz Doyle said: "I didn't want him to lose his novice status before the turn of the new season and waited to run him here. I thought he'd go well and he loves that ground.

"Sean (Flanagan) said he was quite green, nothing went right and he pulled a bit but that will crown him.

"He'll improve loads from that and he was nice in France and he is nice over here. He'll improve for a better race and he loves that ground and you'd run him on the road."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes