Trasna Na Pairce makes all to win maiden under O'Keeffe

Former point-to-point winner Trasna Na Pairce opened his account under rules when making every yard of the running under Darragh O'Keeffe to easily land the Aisling Kennedy Memorial (C & G) Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel.

Third at Kilbeggan last month, the Henry De Bromhead trained gelding was strongly supported into 10/11f to go two places better on this third start over flights.

Sent straight into the lead by O'Keeffe, the six-year-old was tracked by main market rival Keep Kool Coko 5/4) throughout.

Pushed along to assert entering the home straight, Trasna Na Pairce went clear on the run to two out. Briefly ridden before the last, the eventual winner kept on strongly to score by five lengths.

Henry De Bromhead said: "He is a lovely horse, Gerry Hogan recommended him from Pat Doyle's and he is owned by a new syndicate to the game so I'm delighted for them.

"He likes that good ground and previously hated that bottomless ground (in January). Rachael gave him a lovely spin in Kilbeggan last month where he ran well and he probably came on from that.

"My plan was always to get to a fence sooner rather than later."

He added "Darragh has been great, has been for years and it is lovely to see him get the kind of start he has got since Rachael finished up. I'm delighted to see him doing so well."