Ostend and Shane Fenelon with owner Brendan Murphy and trainer Peter Croke behind © Photo Healy Racing
Ostend made a decisive move after the second last to seal matters in the two-mile-three maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan.
The Peter Croke-trained gelding had chased home Parmenion at Leopardstown on his previous start but was easy to back today, going off 20/1 having been 8/1 this morning.
Shane Fenelon tracked the front-running Sir Jimmy Mac on the Marcel gelding before hitting the front after the third last.
He asked his mount to kick clear after the penultimate flight and kept him up to his work from the last to record an eight-and-a-half length win over Hamartia
“He had a great run in Leopardstown and I thought coming here he'd jump those hurdles a little bit easier as he's a big horse,” said Croke.
“He'll be a lovely horse to go chasing with in time, he's a right horse.
“Shane comes into me a few days a week and will always meet me for schooling so I' m delighted for him to ride the winner.
“We'll see what the owner Brendan (Murphy) wants to do now. We'll enjoy today and go from there.
“He wants a bit of good ground. With the size of him and his knee action you'd imagine he'd love soft but we were always waiting for a bit of nicer ground with him.”
