Despite lugging away from the rail when performing front-running duties, favourite Cairdin ultimately proved up to the task in the 10 Euros Admission To All Non-Festival Meetings Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown.

The game seemed to be up for the Danny Mullins-ridden winner when he was joined by Sin Palo (Ruby Walsh) from before the last. However Cairdin found the deeper reserves of stamina on the run-in to prevail by three parts of a length. Sin Palo got a slap of Danny Mullins' whip on the nose in the driving finish but he was coming off the worst at that stage anyway.

Mag Mullins trains Cairdin for Annette Mee and she said: "He's tough out and I think he'll be a smashing chaser.

"He's been a bit of a baby and we'll give him a chance now. He'll come back around Christmas time for some of those novice races. There is a two mile six at the Limerick Christmas meeting that he could go for.

"Danny was good on him – he was strong when he needed to be."

Danny himself said: "He is a hardy horse and he was pricking his ears after the line. He loves it but you just have to keep after him."

He went on to explain his current situation by explaining: "I'm with Mr (Alan) King now and he has been good to me, letting me come home to ride the likes of this lad.

"Hopefully I'll get busier over there. There is about 120 horses in the yard and it is great experience for me.

"We're schooling every Monday and Thursday and it has improved my riding already.

"I've got some outside rides too, for the likes of Seamus Mullins, who is a second cousin of ours, and I'm grateful for the support." (EM)