Darragh O’Keeffe narrowed the gap to five behind Jack Kennedy in the jump jockeys’ championship when partnering his 97th winner of the campaign aboard Adrienne in the Close Brothers Irish EBF Mares Novice Hurdle at Punchestown. Alliteration set the pace in this five-runner Listed event and was only headed approaching the final flight by Adrienne.

The 15/2 chance, a maiden winner at Fairyhouse last November, drew clear on the run-in to score by four and a half lengths, with Alliteration just holding off 10/11 favourite Future Prospect for the runner-up spot.

The winner is trained locally by Ted Walsh for his wife Helen and the Kill handler said: “We have the dam and have a few more out of her. It’s lovely to win at Punchestown.

“Any kind of race at Punchestown is great, particularly at the festival. I’ve been coming here since I was nine or ten.

“I thought she’d run well. Jessie’s horse that won yesterday (Quinta Do Lago) had been behind her on one or two occasions and the handicapper said the four-year-old form was holding up well.

“She had a good man on her back. He had ridden her a couple of times and I left it to him. He’s not going to be champion jockey, we’ve a great champion in Jack, but he’s going to be champion jockey some day and it’s nice to have him on board.”

When asked about future plans for the winner he added, “We’ll keep her, at my age what would I need to be selling her for, I’m an old age pensioner!

“She’s a lovely big mare; a sound mare and she’s paying her way. It’s a great bit of fun and you couldn’t put a price on a day like today at Punchestown.

“A few quid is one thing but you have to enjoy life as well. When you’re as far into it as I am you want to enjoy every day.

“She might run in a Flat race; she won’t go over hurdles for a while. Maybe the Lartigue Hurdle in Listowel could be a race for her.”

Quotes by Gary Carson