Got Glory justifies strong market support

The Willie Mullins-trained Got Glory justified strong market support, as she comfortably accounted for her 18 rivals in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle.

A winner on the level in France, the Great Pretender six-year-old was thrown in at the deep end on her Irish debut, pulling up in the Grade 1 Irish EBF Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle in April of last year.

Available at 7/2 in early shows for this two-mile heat, the Audrey Turley owned bay eventually went off the clear 4/7 favourite under Paul Townend.

Having raced mainly in second, the French bred victor wasn't fluent four out but jumped to the front two flights from home, stretching clear on the run-in to score by five-and-a-half lengths.

The 105 rated Mi Lucky Cailin (7/1) filled the runner-up spot for the third time in succession, while the front-running Garde La Peche (16/1) was another 12-lengths back in third.

"She was fresh and gassy and wanted to get on with it. She took a blow and galloped away nicely again, she was off the track for so long obviously," Townend remarked.

"The engine is in there, we just have to keep the wheels on the bus.

"She's a fine filly but has just had a lot of problems. The owners were patient, she does smart work and hopefully we can keep her right.

"She galloped through a couple of hurdles there but it was just because she was running with me a bit, she's well able to jump."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson