Kimbay benefitted from a confident ride by Rory Cleary to open her account in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Handicap at Dundalk.

Formerly trained by Shane Duffy when just caught close home at Naas last time, the four-year-old filly was having her first outing over the minimum trip for current handler Noel Lawlor.

Cleary oozed confidence on the 5/1 chance only asking her for an effort a furlong out, and she just needed to be pushed out with hands and heels for a convincing success.

The winning rider even had time to salute the crowd passing the line in beating Ability N Delivery by a length and a half. Lady Ranger was a further length and a quarter back in third.

Lawlor said, “It was a very good ride as she needs to be produced late. I’ve no plans but she won nicely and that was due to the ride more than anything. The drop back to five furlongs suited her.”

(AM & GC)