“He'd have done more going around the gallop” was Gordon Elliott's summation of Absolute Notions success in Fairyhouse's three-runner '2024 Membership' Hurdle today, as Danny Gilligan returned from injury on the winning 1/12fav.

Market rival Joyeux Machin was a 10am withdrawal due to a stone bruise, which effectively left Gilligan with an open goal on his first winner since fracturing his collarbone at Listowel in September, making all to beat Starman by 12 lengths. Cruisin Susan last throughout, was a further 17 lengths behind.

Elliott had won today's opener with the Jack Kennedy-partnered Imagine while Absolute Notions' owners Robcour had also won the half-hour earlier maiden hurdle with Henry De Bromhead's An Tobar

Elliott has modest plans for Absolute Notions and stated “to be honest he'd probably have done more going around the gallop at home but it was a nice opportunity for him.

“He'll have an entry in the Lismullen Hurdle and we'll see what it's like. We'll stay over hurdles the next day anyway and then see where we are at. The way he jumps a hurdle he'll jump a fence. He probably wouldn't want a fence on bottomless heavy ground though.”

Quotes from Gary Carson