Kilimanjaro on the scent of victory in Dundalk© Photo Healy Racing
Kilimanjaro on seasonal debut with a hood fitted for the first time, took the extended mile and a quarter maiden for Aidan and Joseph O'Brien.
Just five runners went to post, but all of them held possibilities in the home straight. Blue Skimmer led the way and Give Battle and Azzuri ran second and third. Kilimanjaro raced in fourth with Infinite Loop close enough if good enough in fifth.
Inside the two marker and Kilimanjaro started to wind up his challenge down the outside. It became a two-horse race in the final furlong as Give Battle refused to give way on Kilimanjaro's inner.
However, in the last 150 yards Kilimanjaro began to get on top and the 2/1 favourite drew away by two and a quarter lengths from the 8/1 shot.
"He's always worked really nicely and was quite disappointing last year. He's well named as he's quite big and was probably a bit backward," said Joseph O'Brien.
"He did things well there and hopefully he'll progress." T
he winner ran twice as a two-year-old and came in ninth and sixth.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
