McNiff's long journey pays off with Gone Racing

3/1 favourite Gone Racing was a snug half-length winner of the Kilmeaden Handicap hurdle in the hands of Phillip Enright.

The rider gave the 6-y-o gelding a confident steer, and just shook him up after the last to collar Gotta Getaway and win with a bit in hand.

Gone Racing had shaped encouragingly when fourth at Kilbeggan last month on his handicap bow, and had been taken out of an engagement at Ballinrobe on Wednesday because of rain-softened ground.

It’s a fair trek from Strandhill Co. Sligo to Tramore (190 miles) but it paid off for winning trainer Mark McNiff who said: "His first run in a handicap was a good run and if he repeated that I felt it would be good enough to win this because it was a lesser race.

"He'll probably run in Sligo now next month."

Additional reporting by Donal Murphy