Solitary Man wins on chase debut

Solitary Man (2/1 — 6/4f) won on his chase debut at Killarney today as the Enda Bolger-trained Listed hurdle-winner landed the Gerard O'Sullivan Memorial Novice Chase, under jockey Darragh O'Keeffe.

The Champs Elysees-gelding won twice from three course runs last year and today, returning from a winter's break, moved past tearaway leader Gaelic Arc at the second-last and then held on well for a half-length win over Duffle Coat

Bolger reported “I put fellas off backing him and while his jumping has always been great, I was just worried about fitness because he hadn't been away due to the weather and with all the rain on our gallops.

“He was getting a bit tired after the last but he has a bit of class.”

He quipped “we won't get into a 0-95 (handicap) now but we might look for another one of those races again and he could end up in Galway. The dream is alive.”