Dark Spark was tough off the front in the opening maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan.

The five-year-old gelding, in first-time cheekpieces, led throughout and cranked up the pressure on his rivals approaching the home turn.

He found plenty for Gavin Brouder to increase his advantage racing to the last and jumped it well from a beaten Estepona Sun in second.

The leader drew clear on the run-in to win by nine lengths at 5/2. Malbas came through for second at 6/1 by a neck from Estepona Sun (7/1).

Trainer Mick Winters said: “He's a horse that is now getting stuck into the pot and eating. He just wasn't eating enough but lately he seems to have settled down.

“He won his bumper here so we said we'd go back and chance it. He won well.

“We said we'd take the 7lb off him because he was carrying a penalty and he did it well there.

“On his old form he was entitled to do it but there are no guarantees. He jumped great and he'll make a fine chaser in time.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson