Jer's Girl gave Barry Geraghty and JP McManus a third Grade One success of the week with victory in the Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.
Trained by the up-and-coming Gavin Cromwell, she was bidding to follow up on a Grade One success at Fairyhouse against her own sex and was sent off the 11-8 favourite in receipt of weight from all of the field.
Ruby Walsh attempted to make all of the running on Thomas Hobson, with Geraghty sat just on his tail, but the latter always looked confident on the diminutive mare.
She sprinted clear in the straight to win by 10 lengths from Nicky Henderson's O O Seven, who stayed on past Thomas Hobson for second.
Geraghty said: "She had a grab at the first - I suppose she's done all her racing on softer ground and this was a bit quicker - and she was brilliant after that.
"She was having a long look at the last and I chased her up to it because I didn't want to let the revs drop. She just put in a short one but was clever.
"She's a lovely mare and Gavin has done brilliantly with her.
"There's improvement to come and she seemed to enjoy that ground."
Cromwell said: "She was very good and Barry said she loved the ground.
"I was certain she had improved from Fairyhouse. She had strengthened and come in her coat.
"It was a bit of a step into the unknown against the geldings, even though she was getting the weight allowances, but she's all heart.
"I don't know what the plans are now. I'll have to talk to Frank (Berry, owner's racing manager) and JP (McManus).
"She stays two and a half miles and will get three in time so I'd say she'll go up in trip."
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