Soloman Lane rewards his backers

Patiently-ridden Soloman Lane brought up plenty of bets in the qualified riders' handicap chase over an extended 2m5f at Leopardstown.

David Doyle was seen to good effect aboard the nine-year-old gelding was went off 9/4 favourite having traded at up to 7/1 in the morning.

Doyle produced him to pass Baldur's Gate inside the final furlong and the winner went on by two and a-quarter lengths from the 6/1 runner-up. Marronstown was a length and a-half behind in third at 11/2.

Trainer Martin Hassett said: “The last day was just a disaster with the ground. I was kind of worried when all the rain came today, but it was loose.

“He's actually better than what he's shown, but he wants everything to go right for him.

“I said to David 'if you jump the first three here, you'll win'. The last day he didn't jump and he's dynamite to jump.

“David gave him a grand ride, he's a good young lad and is well able to ride.

“It's great to win here, he battled away. He's probably as good a jumper as we've ever had.

“He's lightly raced, he gave a few problems, and he's a big raw horse. He just needed a bit of time. He has little mileage and we'll keep going, we could even drive on during the summer if it keeps raining.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson