Darragh O'Keeffe doing the steering on Alice Avril© Photo Healy Racing
French-bred Alice Avril made every yard in the Boyle Beginners' Chase at Roscommon.
This former claiming hurdle winner in her native land was third on her Irish chasing debut at Limerick.
Her task was made easier when Poseidon was taken out due to the ground conditions. She went off 5/6 favourite and jumped from fence to fence over this extended two mile trip. Santana Plessis attempted to make a race of it between the last two fences but Henry de Bromhead's Alice Avril was in no mood to relent.
She sailed in by four and a quarter lengths from the 8/1 runner-up. Battle Of Actium came in third at 11/2 from 9/1, beaten over nine lengths by the winner.
Jockey Darragh O'Keeffe said: “She was very good. I kept it straightforward and her jumping is her biggest asset.
“She kept going well to the line, she liked the ground and the trip.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
