MEGA Fortune claimed top honours in the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Gordon Elliott's charge had finished behind Willie Mullins-trained 7/4 favourite Bapaume on his two most recent starts at Fairyhouse and at this venue, but reversed the form in these more testing conditions under a positive ride from Davy Russell.

The 9/2 chance was sent straight to the lead in the two-mile affair, with Ruby Walsh never too far off the pace aboard Bapaume. There was little to choose between the pair jumping the second flight from the finish, but Mega Fortune began to assert after rounding the home turn.

To his credit, Bapaume did rally for pressure and briefly threatened to make a race of it once more, but Elliott's charge was not for catching and passed the post three and a half lengths to the good. Elliott also trained the third home, Dinaria Des Obeaux, with Mullins' second string Meri Devie back in fourth.

RaceBets cut Mega Fortune to 7/1 from 16/1 for the Triumph Hurdle at next month's Cheltenham Festival, with Bapaume unchanged at 8/1.

Elliott said: "We knew with a bit of ease in the ground and the cheekpieces today it was going to be a different story. We said we were going to make plenty of use of him and make them work. Thankfully it worked out great.

"We'll go to the Triumph Hurdle now, that's the plan. Cheltenham will suit him. He has actually proved he can go on a bit nicer ground and we know he stays - you have to stay to win a Triumph Hurdle."

Russell added: "He's strengthening up into a nice horse. The ground here at Leopardstown has been good for the last few meetings and the softer conditions helped. The cheekpieces also helped, although he still idled plenty in front and kept plenty to himself.

"The outside track in Cheltenham for the Triumph should suit and he should get the good, strong end-to-end gallop there that he needs."

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