Bella Scintilla makes winning debut for O'Brien

Bella Scintilla made a winning Irish debut when scoring on her first start for Joseph O'Brien in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle at Killarney.

The former French trained mare had been placed on five of her seven starts in her native country, including over fences in more recent times.

Jockey JJ Slevin was content to track the pace setting Still Ciel for most of a race which only concerned those two principals from well over halfway.

Despite jumping out to her right, the O'Brien trained mare led two out and kept on strongly to record a good success.

JJ Slevin said; "she was good although and while she jumped out to her right over the last couple, other than that was very professional.

"She ran to quite a high level in France and it is great to have her as a maiden as having her novice status is important. I think she ran to a mark of 137 in France so that is decent and the hope will be to get blacktype.

"The ground is on the slow side of good and she wouldn't mind some more juice in it."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes