Much has been made of the Dubs V’s Culchies clash at Croke Park recently but the racing syndicate of that name, which includes soccer players John O'Shea and Stephen Hunt, was on the score-sheet with St Devote winner of the Grade 3 Kilbegnet EBF Novice Chase at Roscommon today.

The French-bred son of Saint Des Saints landed in front at the second last fence, with jockey Barry Geraghty keeping him up to his work on the run-in, to defeat Nakajima Nate and De Valira

Afterwards winning trainer Eoin Griffin said “St Devote has been a good servant for the lads and I think there is a good handicap chase in him at some stage.

“He won a nice handicap hurdle at Listowel last year and he is very efficient over his fences. A flat track and two and a half miles suit him and we might look at Aintree for him next year.

“He has had a long old summer, has been on the go a while and we will give him a break now. He has been carrying a bit of a back injury which we will now get treated although I’m not sure when he will come back – either Christmas or next spring time. It’s nice to sign off with a win.”

Thomas Weekes