Donnacha O'Brien is hopeful of a bright future for Sherlock Holmes after a battling victory in the McCabes Mitsubishi Motors Handicap at Bellewstown.

O'Brien made the running on the 8/15 shot in the 1m6f contest but he was strongly pressed in the closing stages.

The Ballydoyle hotpot was asked to quicken coming down the hill and was all out in the closing stages to repel Crystal Earth by half a length.

The Galileo colt was making his handicap debut having run out an easy winner of a Ballinrobe maiden on his last start.

"He was always just doing enough. He's a big staying horse and stays all day," said the winning rider afterwards.

"I probably didn't go quick enough on him. They quickened up to me but were never going to get past.

"He's a grand big horse and you never know, in a few years time he could be an Ascot Gold Cup horse."