Hypernova shed his maiden tag at the eighth attempt when seeing off the rather frustrating Mickey The Steel in the fairyhouse.ie maiden at Fairyhouse.

The latter, now a 21-race maiden, was sent off favourite to finally gain a first success but again had to settle for minor honours as the Joseph O'Brien trained gelding proved too strong.

Placed in five of his seven starts, all of which came on the polytrack at Dundalk, Hypernova overcame a wide draw to win stylishly under young Hugh Horgan. Endless Season stayed on best of the rest to finish third for Michael Halford and Ronan Whelan.

Brendan Powell:- “It's his first run on the grass. He'd been on the all-weather, then had a wind operation and a break.

“He's matured as well. He gave him a lovely ride from the draw to get him up there to the front. They were coming to him but never going to get by him.

“He kept galloping to the line and I think it will do his confidence the world of good. Hopefully he can improve from it.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson