'The Kerry National might be in mind' - Neville lays out the plans for Brideswell after Killarney National triumph

After a memorable end to the last season, JJ Slevin is starting the new one as he left off, giving a polished ride to 20-1 shot Brideswell Lad in the Killarney National.

The eight-year-old relished the 3m2f trip in the feature handicap on the first day of Killarney's May meeting, staying on strongly from the second-last to repel the challenges of topweight Stealthy Tom and 11-4 favourite Midnight Our Fred.

Brideswell Lad was winning for the sixth time over fences, the most recent of which came when landing a Listed 2m5½f handicap chase at Leopardstown in March on soft ground, and was winning on his first start at this venue.

Since Leopardstown, he had run a fair race in a 2m4f½f handicap chase at the Punchestown festival, and his trainer Seamus Neville was happy to step him up in trip here on this better ground.

He said: "It's a lovely race to win. We thought he needed the trip, staying is his game. The two-and-a-half at Punchestown was just a bit tight and things happened a bit quick.

"It's a nice way to start the season. He travelled well the whole way, JJ gave him a brilliant ride and just let him work his way into it. He has been on the go and it might be time to give him a little bit of a break. The Kerry National might be in mind."

Solitary strike for Bolger

Stealthy Tom's trainer Enda Bolger had enjoyed better fortune earlier in the afternoon when promising stayer Solitary Man made a winning debut over fences in the 2m7f novice chase.

Ridden by Darragh O'Keeffe, Solitary Man was left in front two out when early leader Gaelic Arc weakened, and he was able to hold off nearest pursuer Duffle Coat by half a length.

Bolger said: "He'd not been away over the winter, what with the weather, and I was worried about his fitness. I put a few lads off [backing] him.

"I saw this race a couple of weeks ago and thought the field might be small. We could have sent him to a beginners' chase at Ballinrobe, but there would have been 15 or 16 runners. 

"We might look for another one of those races and he could end up at Galway."

Tiara crowned

Piltown trainer David O'Brien has rolled the dice over the spring with his star mare Minx Tiara, who finished second at the Dublin Racing Festival and contested the Imperial Cup at Sandown.

His enterprising campaign was rewarded when rider-of-the-moment Sean Flanagan gave her an astute ride from the front to land the Listed mares' hurdle.

O'Brien revealed the nine-year-old, who cost just €1,000 at Goresbridge in 2018, is in foal to Hurricane Lane. 

He said: "The UK handicapper put us to the cross at Sandown. She got 2lb for finishing second at Leopardstown, and he gave us another 9lb. She didn't eat over there and the ground got tacky so it was a non-event.

"She has a high cruising speed, likes to go a good gallop and, while she might be a soft finisher, you have to use her early pace."

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