Invictus Machin leads home his rivals© Photo Healy Racing
Foxfire Glow (4/9f) was expected to deliver on his Irish debut in the Tayto Group Maiden Hurdle, but he ultimately had to settle for third, as the easy-to-back Invictus Machin came out on top.
Winning owner JP McManus (completing a quick double) was also represented by the beaten favourite along with three others in this two-mile heat.
A 6/1 chance in early shows, the Gavin Cromwell-trained victor eventually went off at 12s under Keith Donoghue and was settled well off the pace.
Pushed along from four out, he soon made headway on the outer but still had plenty to do when ridden in fourth after the next.
The French bred Coastal Path gelding came with his challenge between horses at the last and soon eased to the front, going on to score cosily by five-lengths.
.The Wallpark (66/1) ran a huge race to finish second under Dillon Maxwell for Vincent Ward, while Foxfire Glow was another three-and-three-parts of a length behind.
"We would like to go for a winners' of one before we look at Leopardstown at Christmas," Frank Berry, McManus' racing manager, said.
"I was a bit disappointed with the favourite, he was under pressure a long way out, but there will be other days for him."
Gavin Cromwell added: "Yes, absolutely (a nice performance). He worked well at home and we weren't sure coming here with Gordon's horse being so fancied.
"I would have been very disappointed if he didn't run a good solid race.
"I didn't get a chance to talk to Keith yet, but I imagine he was raw early on and, when he got the hang of things in the second half of the race, he showed his ability.
"He's a Coastal Path and a fine stamp of a horse, and will be a lovely horse next year."
The winner is out of of a half-sister to Le Chablis, a Grade 1 winner over fences in France.
STEWARDS REPORTS
The Stewards interviewed D.P. Maxwell, rider of The Wallpark concerning his use of the whip in the latter stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. In his evidence, D.P. Maxwell accepted that he was in breach of the whip guidelines for frequency but told the Stewards that his mount was running around a bit and he had lost count. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards were of the opinion that D.P. Maxwell was in breach of R10(3)(g) by using his whip with excessive frequency. Having taken his previous record into consideration, the Stewards suspended D.P. Maxwell for two racedays.
The Stewards granted permission for Eddies Joy trained by E.D. Delaney, to run in this race without the declared tongue strap as the filly was proving to be difficult when it was applied.
Additional reporting by Michael Graham
