Top-class bumper performer Kilcruit was beaten into second on his hurdling debut despite being the 1/14 favourite at Cork.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old won three of his four starts in National Hunt Flat races last term, the only defeat coming when beaten by half a length by Sir Gerhard in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in March.
He went on to take Grade One glory at Punchestown in April and was duly sent off the 1/14 market leader on his seasonal reappearance in division one of the Follow Us On Instagram Maiden Hurdle.
However, the writing was on the wall when he made a mistake three flights from the finish and victory went to 6/1 chance Largy Debut for trainer Henry De Bromhead and jockey Keith Donoghue.
Sean O’Keeffe took the ride for the first time on Kilcruit and he was to the fore from the outset, keeping Largy Debut and Sharp Focus company in a trio who raced well ahead of the rest of the field.
Will Max hit back vs Hamilton? The grid for F1’s penultimate race
Winners and losers under Rangnick at Man Utd?
Carra meets Gerrard: On Rodgers and ambitions at Aston Villa
Transfer Centre LIVE! Rangnick eyes trio of big-name signings
Hamilton’s ‘intense’ pole journey creates big chance
‘Not acceptable’ – Hasenhuttl criticises McCarthy’s professionalism
Man Utd vs Crystal Palace LIVE!
Verstappen rues ‘brutal’ crash | Defining moment in title race?
Largy Debut and Kilcruit had it between them from halfway down the back straight, but the long odds-on favourite was never quite able to get on terms and after the mistake three-out he found precious little for pressure in the straight.
Largy Debut, also making his hurdling debut and reappearing after 631 days off the track, stayed on well to win by 10 lengths, with Kilcruit a laboured second and Sharp Focus (14/1) a further 24 lengths back in third.
Sky Bet reacted by pushing Kilcruit out to 6/1 from 4/1 for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, while shortening Jonbon to 9/4 from 3/1.