Liver Bird proved a big disappointment under Conor O'Dwyer on his chasing debut in the Seskin Beginners Chase at Thurles yesterday when he could finish only sixth behind the pillar-to-post victor, Mulkev Prince, ridden by Kevin O'Brien.

The sun being low in the sky, the ditch and the third-last fence were omitted in the interests of safety, but winning trainer Ger Lyons expressed his satisfaction with his charge, who was foot-perfect except for getting in a bit low at the last. "He's had his problems and broke a couple of ribs when he fell last year at Clonmel, so we gave him a year off. Things have to go right for him but he's got an engine and he did nothing wrong out there today," said Lyons.

Tony Mullins expressed his surprise after 14 to 1 chance King's Luck responded to a strong drive from Adrian O'Shea to defeat Blasket Sound and Charlie Swan in the Holycross Hurdle. "He only jumped his first hurdle just seven days ago and that's a delightful surprise," he said.

The Gowran handler also saddled Entour to finish ninth under Garrett Cotter. Earlier this month this mare attracted the stewards attention after finishing fifth in a Navan bumper resulting in rider Philip Fenton picking up a 21-day ban.

Mullins was fined £500 for using the racecourse as a training ground and his charge was banned for 42 days, and he appeals the sentence at a Turf Club hearing at 10.30 a.m. today.

Strontium justified strong support in the ring when landing the two-mile Tipperary Maiden Hurdle under Ken Whelan for Limerick trainer John Gleeson.

The 8 to 11 chance drew steadily away from front-running Wee Iceman soon after the third-last flight to land the spoils by 11 lengths.