Merlin Giant justified strong 4/9 favouritism to easily win Ballinrobe's concluding Eamon Sheridan Groundworks Bumper today, scoring for trainer Emmet Mullins and jockey Derek O'Connor.

Flat bred by Camelot, the four year old had previously failed by half a length to win at the Galway festival and today defeated three previous bumper winners when scoring readily from Eco Pete

Mullins wasn't present and afterwards O’Connor, who this year won his first Punchestown Champion Bumper on Kilcruit, stated “he (Merlin Giant) had a high level of form and is far superior to the summer bumper form at the moment.

“He never came out of a canter and could be a nice horse.

“Thankfully the ground is safe, they have done a lovely job here and the rain is after helping.”

Quotes from Alan Magee