Sweet Sting (8/1) got the better of reserve Happie Days to take the first of Tipperary’s three mile handicap hurdles.

Brain Hayes rode a patient race on the five-year-old mare who locked horns with Happie Days entering the straight.

The pair had two obstacles left to jump and Sweet Sting came home well on the run-in to put 20/1 shot Happie Days away in the closing stages by three parts of a length. Abyssinian was five lengths further away in third at 25/1.

“She's an exceptional little mare, a great stayer,” said trainer Michael Bowe.

“I was a little afraid of the ground, it's lively enough out there and she needs it softer. She got away with it.

“We'll try and find another handicap for her and hopefully the handicapper won't be too hard on her as she's not really built to carry weight but her determination got her through today.

“If she turns out as good as her mother (Sweet Kiln) I won't complain.

“Brian (Hayes) rode a tremendous race on her and judged it to perfection. She likes sitting off the pace as she panics when there are horses behind her, so you just have to drop her out.

“It took us a while to find that out about her. Maybe in time she'll learn to settle in front but at the minute we have to drop her out in her races.

“It's about time I trained a winner, at one stage I thought I'd never train another winner!

“I'm relieved as I thought there was some curse on me. Hopefully there are more to come. I'll have a glass of wine when I go home and celebrate in style.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson