Grand National winners, trainer Gordon Elliott and jockey David Mullins were on the mark at Gowran today as their Blood Crazed Tiger made a winning hurdles debut, when causing a minor surprise to land the Kilkenny River Court Hotel Maiden Hurdle.

Blood Crazed Tiger was the second-string of the Gigginstown House Stud owned runners, with first-string Grotesque under Bryan Cooper, disappointing in 14th, at odds of 8/11.

The winning son of King’s Theatre went clear from the second last and won easily, by 14 lengths from Hows Patsy

Elliott later commented ”he was very keen in bumpers last year and I thought he'd come a lot from the run today but maybe the horses are a bit fitter than we thought starting off.

"We'll keep it small with him for the moment. That's probably his trip (2m4f), although it looked like he'd stay further there."

Blood Crazed Tiger was bred by Sheila O’Ryan, mother of Elliott’s bloodstock agent Aidan ‘Mouse’ O’Ryan and Attheraces presenter Kevin O’Ryan.

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee