Goulane Chosen enjoying himself under Barry John Foley© Photo Healy Racing
Seamus Spillane's Goulane Chosen (10/1) blitzed his rivals from the front in the extended two mile handicap chase at Cork under a confident Barry John Foley.
The 12-year-old survived a bad mistake at the fifth fence but was on good terms with himself as the opposition toiled well behind him with three fences left to negotiate.
He was still clear between the final two fences and skipped home by 10 lengths with Foley able to have several checks behind for dangers. Espion Du Chenet came in second at 7/2. Fill The Tank was a neck further back in third at 9/2.
The trainer's son Dinny Spillane said: "He got sick of running on bad ground so we said we'd wait for better ground and he loved it out there in front today. We'll keep him to better ground now.
"He was rated 146 at one stage and is a proper horse and is mighty for a small yard like us.
"It might give my father a bit of a kick now as he got a knockout before Christmas so that will give him a boost. It's great for his owner/breeder Mary O'Donnell too."
Morning-price favourite Weihnachts was a non runner.
Jockey Foley returns to America this week for the jumps season there.
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
