Soviet Pimpernel (6/4 in places this morning, 11/10 into 9/10 fav on track) was strong in the betting all day and did the job nicely on his hurdling debut in the Joe Bollard Memorial Maiden Hurdle.

Placed in his first two bumpers before winning one at Listowel last month, he travelled nicely behind the leaders before improving on the inside to lead after two out, and from there it was plain sailing as Kevin Sexton’s mount accounted for the front-running Judex Lefou (33/1) by two and a half lengths, with City Ballerina (10/1) a further three lengths back in third place.

“He’s improving all the time and there is a chance he could run at Cheltenham in a four-year-old hurdle later this month, said winning trainer Peter Fahey.

“We still didn’t find out if he goes on winter ground or not but we’ll stay tipping away with him. He is a nice horse and is doing everything right.

“He jumped a little bit big if anything and I think he’ll learn an awful lot from that.

“The way he quickened from the second last to the last, he put the race to bed in a few strides and he idled away to the line.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee