Former point-to-point winner Traffic Article hacked up in Downpatrick's two mile six furlong maiden hurdle in the hands of five-pound claimer Keith Donoghue.
The six-year-old gelding won by seven lengths from 6/4 favourite Good Time Donie who threw away his chance with a terrible blunder at the first which left him out the back of the field for most of the race.
Robbie McNally, representing winning trainer Gordon Elliott who was at Cheltenham, said: "You had to fancy him today on his form in the book. We'll look at a novice hurdle in England for him next perhaps.
"If the Adrian Maguire horse (Good Time Donie) hadn't made such a bad mistake at the first he might have won though as he was very heavily backed."
Winning jockey Keith Donoghue said: "He stayed on well and liked the ground."
