Toubaloo relishes conditions in opener

Toubaloo opened his account over fences with a cosy victory in the Ladbrokes Ireland Beginners Chase at Gowran Park this afternoon. Rory O'Moore soon took up his customary front-running position in the 2m2f contest and was clear before halfway.

He came back to the field before the straight, however, and gave way at the third last as Toubaloo jumped into a narrow lead under Robbie Colgan.

Andrew Lee 's charge travelled best ahead of Asitsohappens at the next as 2/1 favourite Upazo crashed out when under pressure in third.

Toubaloo asserted going to the final fence and kept on strongly on the run-in to record a comfortable nine-and-a-half length success.

The 7/1 winner was gaining a deserved success having just been denied by a head on his last start at Thurles.

The trainer's wife Aileen Sloane-Lee, who also bred the winner, said:- "We thought maybe his chance of winning a race had gone by but he's got plenty of ability.

"He lives in the field and has the life of riley! He's out every night until 11pm.

"He was squealing coming here and I knew he was in good form. He relishes heavy ground.

"Unfortunately his owner Simon Gegg couldn't be here today. He's in England with his mother who is in her 108th year."

Colgan told Attheraces: "He's been coming along with every run. Conditions and ground really helped him today. It's really soft ground out there and taking a lot of getting.

"They went a real good gallop. He lobbed along and jumped and had plenty left down the straight.

"He could be a lovely horse. I rode him over hurdles last year but he just went wrong after that. He was placed then and I thought he was going to be a right horse. Hopefully he's going the right way over fences."

(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)