Dual Champion Jockey Paul Carberry was at his typically confident best when winning on the Gordon Elliott trained Layla Joan (7/4) in the Bobbyjo Bistro Mares Maiden Hurdle at Fairyhouse today.

Carberry produced the winning point-to-pointer to lead at the second last flight and while she made a mistake at the final obstacle, Cabrerry was in no rush to drive her clear, merely keeping the revs up on the run-in, for an easy length win over 5/4 favourite Tudor Fashion

Afterwards Elliott stated “Paul is always a little bit too confident! She's a grand mare though and it's nice to get the new year off to a winning start.

“It mightn't have been the strongest of races but she did it nicely and probably didn't even know she had a race. We'll find a little mares' race for her either here or England next and I'm delighted for her owner (Willie Murphy).”

By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson