Cousin Shay battled gamely to edge the verdict in the second division of the mile handicap at Dundalk, making a winning start for new trainer Natalia Lupini.

The Cotai Glory gelding was a course and distance winner back in January and went to post a well-backed 7/2 shot on his first outing for the Craigavon-based handler.

Wayne Lordan produced his mount to challenge passing the furlong pole and he just got the better of long-time leader Man Is King late on to secure a head victory.

Lupini said: "Since we got him, he has been in good form for us. He has been loving life and Christine rides him out every day - she gets a good tune out of him.

"He's very happy at home and we thought if he did transfer the homework to the track at all, he would be coming here with a little chance.

"Hopefully, he could build upon that. He stayed on towards the line well and Wayne thought he got the best out of him in the last furlong. He thought maybe stepping him up in trip maybe could help.

“We will try maybe over the mile again in the same company back here. Then we can try him over a mile-and-two as Wayne suggested.

"We've had him since September."

(Quotes by Michael Graham)