General Clermont (3/1f) was a very ready winner of the CUBE Handicap Chase over an extended 2m1f at Limerick.

The eight-year-old gelding was always close to the leader, Druim Samhraidh and picked that rival off after three out.

Gavin Brouder 's mount was on good terms with himself as he increased his lead at the penultimate fence. Druim Samraidh blundered there and General Clermont moved clear at the last. Barbaha Queen stayed on in vain pursuit, but a flying leap from General Clermont saw him home by a more than healthy nine lengths.

Runner-up Barbaha Queen was a 5/1 chance and finished five lengths clear of Drum Samhraidh (8/1).

Brouder said: "He is hard on himself and you can't really fight with him or grab hold of him, as he has a mind of his own and does things himself.

"When you don't fight with him, he is very straightforward and does relax but he was also down in grade and down in trip today. I left him bowl away in front, he jumped from fence to fence and the better ground helped a lot.

"He is a small horse but is tricky and a hard horse to deal with, so Davy (Fitzgerald) has done a great job training him."

This was the first of seven on the all-chase card.

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes