Gaelic Warrior no match for Solness in Paddy's Rewards Club Chase

Last seen finishing a distant fourth behind Jonbon in the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase, Joseph O’Brien’s charge worked his way to the front under JJ Slevin in the Leopardstown mist and was never headed from that point.

Turning in it was clear he had all his rivals in trouble and a safe leap at the last sealed matters.

Gaelic Warrior ran on to get the better of Marine Nationale in their private battle for second but he was three-and-three-quarters lengths adrift of the runaway winner at the line.

“I actually had this lad in the mile-and-a-half maiden at Dundalk last Friday!” said O’Brien. “Ground is important to him. I spoke to J J before and he felt that he’d go wide and find the driest strip of ground that he could find. He jumped fantastic and looked to be going very smooth all the way through the race.”

The winner was supplemented for the race at a cost of €12,500 and O’Brien added: “I probably should have had him in it, to be honest, but the race closed before he ran very well in Navan in graded company.

“Since then, he looked like he was competing at this level, so we had a discussion the other morning and I thought he could sneak into the first three – and he had to be third to get the money back. We said we’d take a chance and I’m delighted to win.”

Solness was hampered when losing out narrowly to Found A Fifty at Navan and O’Brien said: “Some days you get the rub of the green and some days you don’t, but we were very happy with the run. What we learned that day was that he could mix it with the graded two milers.

“Coming here today, we thought he had a real live each-way chance but the ground was a little bit slower than he maybe ideally likes. We said we’d go as wide as we can to get the best strip we can. He just got into a great rhythm. I think he made one mistake down the back but he was on the bridle straight away and jumped fantastic from there on.

“I’m delighted for J J as well, to get a Grade One here this week is very special. He had a tough day yesterday, getting a couple of falls after being just back from injury. He gave him the most fantastic ride.

“He’s been a great horse for the owners. He’s won a whole bunch of races – hurdles and chases. We’re going to go back and win a Flat race at some stage with him as well. I think he’ll head on to a Champion Chase and be an outside contender.”

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