Emcon leads A Hardy Nailer over the last © Photo Healy Racing
Emcon (4/1) found plenty under Kevin Sexton to score decisively in the mares' maiden hurdle over two miles in Cork.
The six-year-old raced second before jumping into the lead at the fourth last. Although she was headed again by Eastern In Paris on the run to the home bend, a good jump at the third last saw her grab the race by the scruff of the neck.
She quickly opened up by a couple of lengths and was ridden by Sexton before two out. The 1/2 favourite A Hardy Nailer tried to close the gap, but once Emcon sailed over the last she was gone and hit the line three lengths to the good.
Handler Willie Austin said: "She has been in since Listowel (last September) and coming here the plan was to give her a break afterwards.
"We always thought she'd need two and a half and I thought she'd win the last day.
"However, her jockey Andrew McNamara said to drop her back to two miles the next day. She was in better form today and will probably go out to grass now."
At the first hurdle three horses departed the race - Snaidhm fell, A Minute To Go and Hunters of Acres were brought down.
Snaidhm's jockey Patrick Corbett was taken off in an ambulance after his horse fell. He has a suspected broken leg.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
