Warne wins as Bertie goes to ground

Warne was travelling much the better two out, about a length off the scrubbed along favourite, Berties Dream when that one departed, and Andrew McNamara's mount was left clear to saunter home by seventeen lengths from Premier Victory in the Newenham Mulligan Novice Hurdle.

The five-year-old son of Bob Back had his bid for a hat-trick scuppered when falling at Listowel last time and trainer Edward O'Grady sees this as somewhat of a blessing in disguise.

He said: "I was hoping that he might justify the confidence we had in him going to Listowel and he is obviously much improved. How far he'll go I don't know. The fall last time helped him to have more respect for his hurdles today."