Eugene O’Sullivan has a welcome winner at Tipperary today when his Gold Smoke landed the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle for the Cheltenham Festival winning trainer.

Ridden by Cathal Landers, the daughter of Gold Well maintained a clear lead in the home straight when recording an eight and a half lengths win over Persistent to give O’Sullivan his first racecourse winner since October 2015.

O’Sullivan wasn’t present and was represented by his daughter Maxine O’Sullivan who said “dad is in Spain but is back tonight and this is great.

“We’re delighted and Cathal gave her a super ride; I thought he might have got a bit soon on her but he was dead-right - she is fit and well. We always knew she had ability but it was about finding her niche and she likes that ground.

“It just took us a while to mature and find herself and we might run at Cork in two weeks time over 2m3f next.”