With cheek-pieces on for the first-time Pyrus Gold Wind sluiced home by twelve lengths in the Bet €10 Get €10 At Thetote.com Handicap Hurdle to provide Kilcolgan owner Tom Quinn with a winner at his local track in Galway.

Robbie Dunne was in the plate on the 25/1 chance (paid €61.10 on the Tote) and equipped with the aforementioned cheek-pieces and a tongue-strap the six-year-old revelled on the soft surface.

Kicking clear from before the straight, Pyrus Gold Wind, previously victorious in a Thurles maiden hurdle last April, crossed the line twelve lengths to the good from Wontbelongnow

Stephen Mahon trains Pyrus Gold Wind and he explained: "I told Robbie to keep it simple by jumping off in front even though it wasn't the ideal place to be.

"Hopefully Tom (Quinn, the winning owner) gets more horses now instead of cows."

Quinn for his part commented: "It's great to get one at home. The cheek-pieces helped him to concentrate and he seemed to motor along nicely in them." (TW & EM)