Trabajo looks a horse to follow

The 7/4 favourite Trabajo took the Charleville Cheese Maiden Hurdle as expected, coming home a comfortable five and a half length winner, for his trainer John Hanlon with Andrew McNamara aboard.

The son of King's Theatre won a winners bumper over the course in June in very impressive fashion. He was then beaten into second by Donatis Comet on his next start at Down Royal and finished in the runners-up spot again last time out at Cork on his hurdling debut, finishing just three parts of a length second to Sligo.

That form looked by far the strongest coming into today's race and so it proved to be.

Having raced well off the pace in the early stages of the three mile contest, he took closer order from the fifth last. He got on terms with the leaders and travelled well before the straight.

He then made a mistake two out but soon asserted under pressure and went clear approaching the last to score comfortably from the second favourite at 10/3 It's Ironic. Too Wild For Der completed the placings a further three parts of a length back in third at 14/1.

Winning trainer John Hanlon said afterwards: "I was delighted with the rain when it came, as he wants soft ground.

"He was entitled to win that and we will take our time with him now. He might have one more run before Christmas. He will make a lovely chaser and that will be his game."

Donal Murphy