Jesse Evans wins the Grade 3 Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary for Tomas and Jack Singleton

Jesse Evans was described as the horse of a lifetime by owner Tomas Singleton after he won at Ballinrobe in May, landed the featured €72,000 Grade 3 Kevin McManus Bookmakers Grimes Hurdle at a sun drenched Tipperary on Thursday evening. 

In the process he was winning for the fifth time over hurdles and registered a 10th career victory in total. 

Jesse Evans has been ultra consistent and a tremendous money spinner for the Singletons, Chris Murphy and the other third of the syndicate, which includes Mick Malone. 

Thursday's race was named after Grimes owned by JP McManus, who won the inaugural running of this race when it was the Betdaq Hurdle in 2001.

For a horse with a hurdle rating of 148 and with his fitness assured quotes of 11/2 looked generous overnight. 

He went off a well supported 7/2 second favourite behind Gaucher (5/2). 

The eleven year old Enniskerry looked like justifying market support as he stretched away on the run to the final flight. 

Jesse Evans however, wasn't quite done yet. 

He pinged the last and gave generously on the run in for Donagh Meyler and just got up in the dying embers to win by half a length. 

Sunchart who was quietly fancied finished third, with the uneasy 5/2 market leader Gaucher finishing fourth ahead of last year's winner Winter Fog.

Jesse Evans, who has twice finished second in the Galway Hurdle might be Galway bound for a conditions chase over two and a quarter miles on the final day of the festival. 

He got off the mark over fences for his popular Cork connections at Galway in the Galway City Beginners Chase last September. 

In the process he completed the holy trinity of flat, hurdle and chasing victories at his spiritual home in the west. 

Jesse Evans has a formidable record around Ballybritt. 

He finished eight in last year's Galway Hurdle allied to finishing runner up at the previous two festivals while he’d also finished fourth in the 2022 renewal. 

Some will say he's a better hurdler than chaser but he ran a corker in Grade One company when third at Punchestown behind Majborough in May.

Cork Jockeys have made hay here at Tipperary this week at the three day midweek fixture. 

On each of the last three days, the opening race has gone to a Cork jockey. 

On Tuesday, Lisgoold jockey Paul Townend made all the running for Willie Mullins on Runcok in the beginners' chase. 

On Wednesday night Wayne Lordan produced Kansas fast and late to land the 2Y0 maiden for the all conquering Ballydoyle operation by half a length. 

Thursday, it was Kilbrin native Daniel King who got a great tune out of well supported Minella Study. 

He responded well to pressure rallying to great effect on the run to the line in the opening juvenile hurdle of the new season. 

He'd finished eight as a 2YO to Trinity College.