Owner Brendan Fahey has Galway on the horizon for his chaser Pride Of The Artic after the seven-year-old gelding kept on well to take Down Royal’s beginners steeplechase by three lengths.

The 5/1 shot was far from a definite runner on the soft ground as Brendan said: “I was a bit concerned about the ground even though he had won on soft at Gowran Park.

“With the non-runners we thought we would take our chance. I’ll consider him for Galway now. I have a full four-year-old brother to him to enjoy going point-to-pointing with and the brother’s for sale.”

The winner was trained by Brendan Fahey’s brother Peter Fahey.

Only 11 horses went to post in this race from 19 declared as ground conditions saw eight non-runners.

Michael Graham