Enniscorthy trainer Paul Nolan saddled a Grade 1 winner at the first day of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown today with Latest Exhibition (7/2) who has earned quotes – Boylesports went 10/1 from 12/1 and Paddy Power into 13/2 from 12/1 for the Albert Bartlett at next month’s Cheltenham festival.

Now winner of four of his six runs (and twice runner-up), the seven-year-old Oscar gelding bred by Jim Mernagh, Coolamurray Stud, Davidstown, running in the Toberona Partnership colours won by two lengths with jockey Bryan Cooper up in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle.

Nolan had saddled his last Grade 1 winner in December 2013 with Defy Logic said afterwards; “When you step up to Grade 1 company you just don’t know what will happen with horses, whether during the season will they continue to improve or will they regress for no reason and just won’t perform and then your season is over. This guy in fairness to him, he races behind the bridle a little bit, but he digs down deep. He done it there today on ground that’s the quickest he’s ran on.”

It was also a big day for five pound claiming conditional jockey Sean O’Keeffe, Harveystown, Taghmon, who won the €100,000 Grade B Matheson Handicap Chase on Éclair De Beaufeu, (8/1), for the Gigginstown House Stud/Gordon Elliott combination by two and a half lengths.