Blue Ridge Lane gained a decisive victory in the apprentice handicap at Limerick as Gary Halpin did the steering.

Halpin made rapid headway from rear as the runners turned into the home straight. From there the seven-year-old powered away from his rivals in this extended mile and three contest.

He won at 13/2 by a length and a half from Skimming Stone who made good headway into second at 16/1 while Gra Geal Mo Chroi (8/1) grabbed third.

“When he hit the front he wasn’t stopping and he loved that ground. He deserved that,” Gary Halpin said.

“He’s been a model of consistency and always puts his best foot forward. That’s my fifth winner and I’m based with Kevin Prendergast at Friarstown.

Trainer John McConnell was full of praise for Blue Ridge Lane. He said: “He’s been called some bad names in the press, but if I had 20 of him I’d be delighted.

“He’s won three times for me and has been placed a million times. He has his own quirks and his own way of doing things.

“We’ll try him over hurdles and the blinkers will probably stay off now. He’s a brilliant work horse at home.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes