Sean O'Keeffe, deputising for the unwell Paul Townend, guided In Excess to an easy win in the Easter Festival Early Bird Maiden Hurdle.

Second on his sole start when trained in France, he again filled the runner-up spot on his debut for Willie Mullins at Limerick over Christmas.

Expected to go a place better this afternoon, the five-year-old was sent off the clear 4/9 favourite in the colours of the Slaneyville Syndicate.

Settled in second early on, the bay victor improved into a share of the lead approaching halfway and gained an outright advantage on the approach to two out.

He quickly increased his advantage on the run to the final flight and came home 11 lengths to the good, from Birdie Or Bust (8/1) and Rachael Blackmore in second.

The front pair went 20 lengths clear of Firm Footings (9/4) back in third.

"He was keen enough during the race but I was very happy with the way he quickened after the second last as I thought he'd done a lot of work at that stage," Mullins, who was completing a double, said.

"He jumped well but I was particularly pleased with the way he quickened going to the last and after the last.

"To win 11 lengths from where he was at the second last I thought it was a good performance on very testing ground.

"He's a horse that could move up to graded class. I don't know where we'll go next, I'd like to find a winners of one or a Listed race maybe.

"I'd imagine he will get entries (for Cheltenham) and we'll see how he goes between now and then. He's good enough to get an entry, and probably go. I'll have a word with the owners and see what they want to do."

STEWARDS REPORTS

At the request of the Raceday Stewards, L.A. McKenna, rider of Kelce trained by C.A.Murphy, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount made a mistake at the sixth hurdle and found nothing thereafter.

At the request of the Raceday Stewards, J. I. Duggan, rider of Make The Plan trained by Oliver McKiernan, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount hung left throughout and ran on in the closing stages.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson