Minella Hollow overcame greenness to win the final QuinnBet INH Flat Race at Ballinrobe, capping off a successful start to his racetrack career.
The gelding, trained by John Nallen, is the sole horse in the field and is connected to three winners, therefore he has a respectable pedigree.
In a race with shifting odds, the gelding was held up by Johnny Barry on the first lap and finished nicely in fifth place after two furlongs.
Before Artic Piper turned into the straight, the Gordon Elliott-trained Gers Gigi led him, and the latter mounted a strong comeback on the inside rail. Barry continued to close in on Minella Hollow, sweeping past the two more than 200 yards out.
The winner, trained by Nallen, hung to his right and showed obvious signs of greenness, but he held on well to win by three-and-a-quarter lengths.
John Nallen said "We didn't point-to-point him because he wasn't robust enough. We came for safe ground and a nice track. He's a quality horse and would win a maiden on the Flat. He's only been away once and was green. We'll give him a bit of time now and he'll be out in the field tomorrow. We intended to run him here yesterday but missed the declarations for the four-year-old bumper here, but it was all for luck anyway!"