Willie Mullins trained the first three home in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle at Naas on Friday, with the outsider Readin Tommy Wrong triumphing under Daryl Jacob.

Despite some novicey jumping errors, the Simon Munir and Isaac Suede-owned gelding was always travelling well at the back of the field. Daryl Jacob switched the six-year-old to the right before the last flight to make his challenge and he stayed on well to claim a neck victory in the dying strides, ahead of stablemate and favourite Ile Atlantique with Paul Townend aboard. Despite a mistake four-out, Ile Atlantique appeared to have run his race and finished seven-and-a-half lengths ahead of the third-placed Lecky Watson.

"They are a nice bunch of horses coming along and Daryl was very good on Readin Tommy Wrong. He gave him a very cute ride and let the main protagonists fight it out before taking it off them in the end," said Mullins.

"He's a horse that is improving all the time, very brave – and it's good for Irish jump breeding that Authorized is standing here this season.

"That puts him right in the picture for the top prizes in the spring. He looks a typical Ballymore (Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle) horse and has just kept improving.

"Paul was very happy with Ile Atlantique at all stages. He did all the donkey work and, as I said, Daryl was very cute and got a tow the whole way and just outstayed him in the last couple of strides.

"The two of them are going away all the way to the line.

"I felt before the race that it was the top novice hurdle run in Ireland or England over the whole Christmas period, so I'm very happy they have run so well."