The John McConnell trained Get Out Of Jail easily justified 6/4 favouritism when making all to win the opening Join Us Kilkenny GAA Day March 19th Maiden Hurdle at Gowran today.

Ridden by Andrew Lynch, the son of Authorised never saw a rival and in the end had the race in safe keeping, bar a fall, from the third last flight. At the line Get Out Of Jail had eight and a half lengths to spare over Mustadaam

McConnell later stated “he deserved that. He probably ran a bit flat the last day. It could have been the trip as well, maybe a bit of both.

“It's 16 days since his last run and he spent 11 in the field. We just freshened him up.

“Obviously it wasn't a great maiden hurdle but he did it well and Andrew said he had plenty left at the end.

“He might come back here for the Flat race he won last year (1m6f handicap in May).

“I feel sorry for Mark Bolger who is out with a broken shoulder and would normally ride him. He should be back for Cheltenham.”

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson