Impervious on an upward curve

Colm Murphy's Impervious continued her progression as she brought up her hat-trick in the Grade 3 mares' novice hurdle in Down Royal.

Brian Hayes worked the 7/2 shot into the lead after the third last. She was there to be shot at after the next when Sit Down Lucky got on terms, however, the Shantou mare took a narrow lead at the last and stayed on strongly on the run-in to score by five lengths. Sit Down Lucy finished second at 20/1 and was six and a half lengths clear of Glan in this seven-runner contest.

Murphy said: "Sure she answered all the answers today anyway. She jumps, she travels and I'm delighted with the way she went by the line.

"It is just phenomenal what she has improved from the last day. Hopefully she will keep improving. When you have a filly like that and they keep improving you don't know where you could stop. We'll keep dreaming away.

"She is on the go a long time and we will have a chat with Paul (McKeon). The beauty of it is that we don't much in between with her. We'll see what is there.

"I'd imagine (the mares' novices' hurdle at Cheltenham) it would be the long-term. Whether we get to there, I'm not sure but I'd imagine maybe Christmas and a run after it and we'll see.

"She is relatively inexperienced for what she is doing. She is one to look forward to.

"We never had a doubt about the ground, we thought she would be better on softer ground.

"She is clearly just a good filly."

"When asked to compare her with the mares he has had in the past, he said: "It is hard to compare them but, on the evidence of that, she is right up there with them.

"She has stamina and she has plenty of pace. She has the right ingredients to keep climbing the ladder."

Paddy Power made Impervious 12/1 from 20/1 for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.