FESTIVAL HOPE TOMMY WRONG ON RIGHT TRACK

READIN TOMMY WRONG floored favourite Ile Atlantique to lead home a Willie Mullins 1-2-3 in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle.

The Daryl Jacobridden 16-1 winner takes his name from a lyric in the Kenny Rogers classic Coward Of The County — but was all guts to overhaul the 6-4 market leader and score by a neck, with fellow Closutton trainee Lecky Watson holding Gordon Elliott’s Firefox by a length for third.

Readin Tommy Wrong, who races in the double green livery of owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, could be backed at 40-1 for the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March — but is now 8-1 co-third favourite with William Hill for the two-mile, fivefurlong test.

“Daryl was very good on Readin Tommy Wrong,” observed Mullins. “He let the protagonists fight it out before taking it off them in the end.

“He’s a horse that is improving all the time — very brave — and that puts him right in the picture for the top prizes in the spring.

“Paul [Townend] was very happy with Ile Atlantique at all stages. Daryl was very cute and just outstayed him in the last couple of strides,” added Ireland’s champion trainer, whose Ballyburn heads the Baring Bingham betting at 2-1.

Readin Tommy Wrong landed a two-mile maiden hurdle at Cork in November on his obstacles debut and Jacob said: “The step up in trip has obviously helped.”

■ HEN KNIGHT enjoyed “such a lovely welcome” after making her return to the training ranks at Wincanton yesterday — but was out of luck with her two runners Zettabyte and Ballywalter.