Trainer Gordon Elliott received a boost ahead of Backstage's Grand National bid when Sounds Of Thunder took the opener at Tramore today.

Davy Condon moved into contention after the third last on the 11/4 favourite but he had to work to get past game front-runner Akatara

He went on at the final flight and kept on gamely to score by three-parts-of-a-length from Phoenix Rose who finished well to take second.

Elliott not surprisingly was not here to welcome the winner, as he was on duty in Liverpool.