The Willie Mullins-trained Feu du Bresil improved on previous efforts to get off the mark in the Clionas Foundation Opportunity Maiden Hurdle.

Having tracked the leaders, the eight-year-old was produced to challenge between the final two flights and headed long-time leader Top Speed before the last. He stayed on well to score by three and three quarter lengths from Fameaftertheglory

Winning rider Kieran Callaghan said: "I've sat on him at home but that's my first time riding him in a race. He did everything I wanted and picked up from the second-last home, so I couldn't fault it.

"You could say he is improving with every run and hopefully now that he has got his head in front, he'll come on again from it. He is a fine big horse and has plenty of scope to jump fences in time.

"We got the job done today and that's the main thing."

Quotes from Tom Weekes