Solness and Oakley Brown© Photo Healy Racing
After their one two in the preceding heat the Joseph O'Brien team took it up a level in the feature at Listowel, top-weight Solness getting it done in the Kerry Group Handicap Chase to give the Piltown outfit an opening day Harvest Festival near 63/1 brace.
Half-an-hour on from San Salvador (Richie Deegan) leading home Jordans (J J Slevin) for O'Brien, in the card's centrepiece the Carriganog Racing supremo called upon Oakley Brown to claim five off Solness' welter burden of twelve stone six.
There was drama aplenty in the extended two mile one furlong heat. Firstly clear pace setter Je T'ai Porte fell at the last with a circuit to go.
This saw Mount Frisco left at the head of affairs, but he departed at the next and pursuer Senecia was badly hampered and unseated rider.
Soon in front from here Solness looked vulnerable to The Banger Doyle and Presenting Lad in the closing stages. To his credit though the victorious six-year-old fought that pair off by half a length and three parts of a length.
"He jumped well, travelled well the whole way and when the other horse (The Banger Doyle) came to him, he toughed it out. This trip seems ideal," commented O'Brien stable representative Sean Corby.
"He is a classy horse on his day and Oakley's 5lb off was a big help, as his claim is very valuable. Oakley is on the Hill (at Owning) five days a week so it is nice to get him a winner as he deserves it."
D.J. O'Keeffe, rider of Mr Saxobeat trained by Thomas Gibney, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount made a mistake at the fence past the stands on the final circuit.
(TW & EM)
