With a quarter of a mile to run in the two and a half mile maiden hurdle at Wexford the contest had boiled down to a match between Silver Tassie on the inside and Top Cat Henry on his outer.

As the pair made the home turn approaching the last, it was Top Cat Henry who won the battle and moved into the lead under Robbie Moran.

The pair popped the last and came in by a length and three parts at 5/1. Silver Tassie (4/1) and Niall Madden had to settle for second-placed spoils. Castletimon (7/2) won the race for third.

Successful trainer Kieran Purcell said of Top Cat Henry (named after Kilkenny legend Henry Shefflin): "He was just short of a piece of work at Gowran, he was only back over two or three weeks before Gowran.

"We might go to Galway with him now for a novice over two and a half miles. On good ground I'd say he would come up the hill well."

Purcell is a former All-Ireland winning Kilkenny hurler and he went on to say about the big match tomorrow evening: "I'd imagine if Kilkenny are behind Shefflin will come on at some stage." Shefflin hasn't been named in the squad due to a long term injury...

Top Cat Henry’s part owner, Patrick Clune, is from Ennis in Co Clare.

Additional reporting by Donal Murphy