Flaming Moon, left, leads them off the home bend© Photo Healy Racing
Flaming Moon (11/1) saw them all off in the opening Listed novice hurdle on day two of the Galway Festival.
The Born To Sea gelding tracked front-running I Don't Get It before assuming the lead before halfway. He was closely attended by Prairie Dancer but began to increase the margin after the third last. Amir Kabir was the horse to cut into the lead racing to the next but a good jump the leader saw him land full of running.
Bryan Cooper asked him for more climbing the home bend and he had a willing partner.
The pair jumped the last and had three horses closing in behind in the final 150 yards, however, Flaming Moon kept on to see off Amir Kabir (13/2) by half a length. Plains Indian was a neck further back in third at 11/1. Tax For Max the even-money favourite, was a neck out of the places in fourth.
Trainer Matthew Smith said: “He always showed plenty. He won a couple on the Flat and he had some nice placed form over hurdles.
“I was a bit hesitant to declare him but I said he was entitled to take his chance and I'm delighted.
“For the ability I know he has, and the ways he works, he's been a bit disappointing a few times.
“He's fairly hard on himself unless you go on in front. A lot of times you are pulling and try to settle him but he's probably better off galloping away.
“Bryan said he half pricked his ears in front there but he was tough and galloped to the line. He gave him a great ride.
“I entered him in anything and everything that suited and half didn't intend to run in this but two days ago I said we'd let him take his chance because he has form that ties in with some of them.
“He's in the mile handicap on the Flat on Thursday and we'll see how he is.
“The horses were a bit out of form a month or two ago and we gave them a bit of time off. We started having a few runners in Killarney two weeks ago and had a couple of winners so we seem to be back in form, thank God.”
This was Flaming Moon's first success over flights after three placed runs in that discipline.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
