The Philip Fenton trained Strange Encounter defied top weight, under Richie Kiely, to win the Greenmount Annual Membership Handicap Hurdle at Limerick today.

The son of Witness Box ran out the comfortable 10 lengths winner over Magdoodle to provide Kiely with his first winner of the season.

Afterwards Fenton stated “Strange Encounter seemed to be going nowhere six weeks ago but improved. He kept rising in the weights without winning but I'm delighted with that. He'll go for another handicap next and may then go chasing.”