The Last Marju (purple) heads Happy Company (centre) with New Vocation back in third© Photo Healy Racing
The Last Marju made it three wins from his last five starts, as he stayed on strongly to take the Martin Reilly Mazda Handicap.
The versatile Denis Cullen trained seven-year-old enjoyed a fruitful campaign over fences in 2018, winning twice at Killarney and running with great credit to take third in the Grade 3 Like-A-Butterfly Novice Chase at Tipperary.
That contest was in early October, and having his first start since, the son of Marju was sent off at 8/1 under Mark Gallagher.
Towards rear on the inner, the Wicklow Bloodstock owned gelding was caught behind a wall of horses from the two furlong pole, but was soon angled to the wide outside.
He was ridden when in the clear from the furlong pole and got to the front inside the final 100 yards, keeping on well to score by three parts of a length. Happy Company backed from 10/3 into 11/4 favouritism on-course, battled gamely inside the final furlong, but couldn't hold off the winner, and had to settle for second under Shane Foley for Paddy Hassett.
The front pair were a length and a half in front of New Vocation (11/1) in third, with Kevin Manning aboard this one for Jim Bolger.
"I'm delighted with that performance, he did it really well," said Cullen.
"It was his first run of the year, I had hoped to get him out a bit earlier but I just got held up with him.
"We'll probably go to Listowel now for a handicap chase down there. We'll have a look at that for him and then pick our way through the summer.
"Hopefully he should go alright from here on in.
"Back to a mark of 69, I thought that was fair. It was great, a nice opportunity and a nice race to win with him."
STEWARDS REPORTS
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Solomons Seal trained by Joseph G. Murphy, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.
Joseph G. Murphy, trainer of Solomons Seal, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his charge ran off the bend past the stands
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
