Santana Plessis (11/4 jt fav) certainly knows his way around Kilbeggan and landed the Forever Equestrian Rated Novice Hurdle in the hands of substitute rider Denis O’Regan.

A course bumper winner last year and three times runner-up over hurdles at this venue during the summer, the French-bred travelled well for O’Regan (filling in for the sidelined Davy Russell who will be out for some time after a fall at Limerick yesterday) and hit the front before the final flight.

From there he was pushed out to beat the staying-on Funky Dady (9/1) by three and three quarter lengths, with the the front-running Broomfields Jeremy (the other 11/4 jt fav) back in third.

Winning trainer Gordon Elliott said: “In fairness he's a long time waiting for that and Denis gave him a great ride.

“Now that we can get back into England I'd say he might win a novice hurdle over there.

“I thought the ground might be too soft for him but it was grand.

“He's a big horse and he'll jump a fence in time.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson