Slevin doubles up on Desertmore House

Desertmore House made a successful start to racecourse fences in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase and in the process completed a double on the evening for JJ Slevin at Kilbeggan.

The Martin Brassil-trained gelding jumped well and led approaching the last before keeping on strongly to beat Summer Tide by ten lengths.

Brassil said, “It’s a grand place to start off with a bit of nice ground and not a big fence. I’m sure he’ll get a bit of confidence from it.

“He won a point-to-point for Denis Leahy first time out and when I started to school him I could see that he was well able to jump. We hadn’t to do too much in that department.

“He’ll be a spring, summer and autumn horse. Galway might come too soon and if it does we might pick out something in Listowel.

“He’s a grand, honest type and staying is his forte. He could go around there again!”

Slevin was also successful earlier on the card aboard Castra Vetera in the mares’ maiden hurdle.