Montana Belle and Andrew Lynch in full flow© Photo Healy Racing
Montana Belle got off the mark on her debut over fences, as she took the Colm Quinn BMW Beginners Chase.
Successful over flights at Fairyhouse in January, the Henry De Bromhead trained seven-year-old was last seen finishing thirteenth of sixteen in the Grade 2 Trull House Stud Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Sent off the 9/4 favourite this afternoon, the daughter of High Chaparral was settled in second by Andrew Lynch.
She closed on the front-running Aint Dunne Yet between the last two fences and was ridden to lead inside the final furlong, going on to score by five lengths.
The aforementioned Aint Dunne Yet had to settle for second under Sean Flanagan for Noel Meade 7/2, while Penny Jane (9/2 to 7/2 on-course) was another six and a half lengths back in third for Davy Russell and Gordon Elliott.
Andrew Lynch said afterwards: "She jumped the fences in the dip well the first time so I was always happy she'd jump them well the second time around and while I wasn't confident, I was pretty sure I'd pick up the leader on the run-in.
"It was her first run back from the Cheltenham Festival and her first run over fences and Henry (De Bromhead) said he was happy with her coming here."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
