Chocolat Blu knuckled down gamely in the closing stages to open her account in the ten furlong maiden at Dundalk.

Andrew Slattery did the steering, for his father and namesake, and produced the 6/1 shot to gain a narrow lead passing the furlong pole.

The daughter of The Gurkha stuck on well to the line as she recorded a half-length win over 11/8 favourite Rockview Consort

Chocolat Blu, rated 67, was making her eighth career start and was turning around form with the runner-up having been seventh when that rival was second here last month.

Slattery senior said: "She was fourth to Emily Dickinson in Naas and she had good runs early and then her form tailed off. I don't know why and we let her off.

"She would have improved from the run the last day, that was her first run back after a break.

"Hopefully she goes on from that now. 

"She's actually a brilliant jumper. Her future probably lies over hurdles eventually. She probably won't run over hurdles until the new season, we'll wait and run her over the summer over hurdles.

"We'll keep coming here for a few more times. The owner is a breeder and she is a winner now. She has a fairly decent pedigree."

(Quotes by Michael Graham)