The Gordon Elliott-trained Firm Footings battled best on the run-in to claim the opening Joseph Scanlon Memorial Hurdle at Sligo this afternoon.

Jack Kennedy tracked front-runner Aime Desjy for much of the the two-mile-one contest before letting his jump move up to dispute two from home.

A blunder at that penultimate flight took the 5/1 off the bridle but he rallied to challenge turning for home and there were three in a line over the last as 4/9 favourite Horantzau D'airy joined in.

It was Firm Footings who found most in the closing stages though, going on to post a length-and-a-quarter win over the hotpot.

Kennedy said: "He did well to recover from the mistake at the second-last, I thought that was the beating of him and he could easily have packed it in, but he dug deep and knuckled down when I got stuck into him and galloped to the line.

"He's going to come on from it as well. He seems to have improved and strengthened up a bit. He was always going to be a nice horse but he's probably going to be a bit better this year.

"That trip was as sharp as he'd want, especially around a track like this, and he'll be better over further."

Elliott added: "Two miles is as short as he wants but he's a grand horse and he toughed it out well. We'll probably go chasing with him."

(Quotes by Mark Nunan)