Diggin Deep lived up to his name as he saw out the three miles out best in the qualified riders' handicap hurdle in Clonmel.

The 22/1 chance made headway to dispute the lead at the third last and assumed the sole lead before the next.

A good jump at the last under Aaron Fahey saw the spoils banked by three lengths, Ask David (8/1) came in second by a nose to Stamp Your Feet (9/2).

Trainer Paul Fahey said: "He was working seriously well but disappointed in Tramore last week when we were absolutely disgusted. On Sunday we put a tongue-tie and blinkers on him and he worked like the way he was working going to Tramore.

"The ground is proper quick and he hasn't got that for a while but it was the blinkers, in my mind, that made the difference - we won't be leaving them off him anyway.

"He was a cheap horse, has done his job and has the option over fences now as well.

"Killian Carroll owns him and works with me as a farrier but not in the yard. It's his first horse, we said we'd have a bit of fun and it's great. There's lads that spend an awful lot of money and never get into a winners' enclosure."

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes