Garvan Donnelly’s good servant Misty Millie gained her third win under National Hunt rules in the Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey Handicap Hurdle at a price of 4/1. Rachael Blackmore took the mount on the Dylan Thomas mare for the first time, and guided her to a one and a half length success over Arctic Light (7/1) in second, with Hickey’s Rock another neck away in third at 20/1. The ease in the ground was welcomed by connections as winning trainer Garvan Donnelly outlined afterwards “I was glad to see the bit of rain coming because she needs a bit of dig in the ground.

“Rachael gave her a great ride, a straight-forward ride. I told her that if there wasn't going to be much pace on you might as well be handy. She's fit from being on the Flat.

“She'll go to Galway, hopefully for the mares hurdle. She ran in it last year but she just wasn't 100 percent going to it. Hopefully we'll keep her right for it this year.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson