RUNNER-up on his first two starts, Henry de Bromhead’s Lirakali (2/1) readily got off the mark at the third time of asking in the William Hill Challenge Series Maiden Hurdle over two miles and a furlong.

Second in a bumper last term and touched off by stablemate The Captain’s Word on hurdling debut at Gowran Park earlier in the month, Kenny Haughey’s five-year-old led before two out under Darragh O’Keeffe and scored by eight lengths from Jessbers Wish.