Gaelic Warrior beaten on his return as Solness dominates Paddy's Rewards Club Chase for Joseph O'Brien

Joseph O'Brien's knack for executing all manner of alchemy was evident once more as Solness justified a €12,500 roll of the supplementary dice to thwart a clatter of illustrious rivals and claim a breakthrough Grade 1 in the Paddy's Rewards Club Chase.

In foiling the reappearing Arkle winner Gaelic Warrior, the race-fit Solness made all under a crafty JJ Slevin steer and was never really threatened despite his 28-1 SP. It was a particularly sweet triumph for Slevin, who bit the dirt twice at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day when he was also forced to watch Paul Townend steer the stable's Banbridge to big-race glory in the King George VI Chase.

He had been claimed to ride for his retainers Sean and Bernadine Mulryan, but it's a long road without a turn. In thwarting precocious Cheltenham Festival winners Gaelic Warrior and Marine Nationale, second and third in the end, Slevin banished the memory of that festive humbug in emphatic style.

Solness was having his 22nd start and his 16th over fences, and is rated 13lb shy of Gaelic Warrior having been beaten more than 25 lengths by Jonbon in the Tingle Creek.

In the aftermath, no-one was suggesting this three and three-quarter-length success will necessarily translate into two-mile chasing honours come the spring — Solness was introduced to the Champion Chase betting at 25-1 by Paddy Power — but it was yet another resounding manifestation of O'Brien's uncanny versatility.

Finding outposts to conquer that haven't previously been claimed by his father Aidan is a fair old chore but this was the second time he achieved the feat in as many days, and remember the boss in Ballydoyle still hasn't got a Melbourne Cup to his name yet, let alone two.

"Whether he is as good as the bare form here remains to be seen but we'll enjoy today anyway," O'Brien said after securing the €73,750 winner's pot. "It was a special ride from JJ. We said we'd go wide and get the best of the ground. He got into a great rhythm and jumped fantastic. I'm really delighted for all the Bronsan Racing lads [owners] and for JJ to have a big winner here because he missed out on Banbridge yesterday. I'm thrilled for him."

Of the decision to supplement, he added: "I probably should have had him in it in the first place but the race closed before he ran very well in Graded company [when second in the Fortria] at Navan, so it was since then he looked like he was competing at this level. I thought he'd sneak into the first three and he had to be third to get the money back, so we said we'd take a chance. We might go back on the Flat with him yet — I had him in at Dundalk last week."

JJ Slevin celebrates Grade 1 success aboard SolnessCredit: Patrick McCann

Slevin has only just returned having been out with a broken foot since October. The spills on Thursday left him moving particularly gingerly, but it didn't compromise his efforts here.

That said, he was never put under any pressure from those in behind, with Patrick Mullins charting a similarly wide route a few lengths back aboard Gaelic Warrior. Sean Flanagan elected to go down the inner a little further behind on Marine Nationale, with Dinoblue and Mark Walsh on their outside.

When the field emerged from the foggy Foxrock funk after two out, it was clear they were all struggling to catch Solness. Slevin had been allowed to dictate on the six-year-old and they pinged the final fence before quickening away.

Asked if he was surprised they never got to him, Slevin said: "I was. I was always happy and always filling him up but you are expecting the Gaelic Warriors and co to be breathing down your throat at the back of the second-last, but they didn't get to him. It was an exceptional performance."

Despite the pain of his injuries being compounded by the psychological hurt of a lost King George, Slevin wasn't bitter. He also suffered the ignominy of being unseated from Fastorslow in the Gold Cup but 2024 has been kind to him, with a Punchestown Gold Cup (Fastorslow), Champion Chase (Banbridge), Irish Grand National (Intense Raffles) and Galway Hurdle (Nurburgring) among his haul.

"It was great for Ronnie [Bartlett] and Joseph and Paul," he said magnanimously of watching the King George. "Banbridge is a phenomenal horse and it was a great race to watch, but obviously it would have been nice to be riding him."

Connections of Marine Nationale and Dinoblue, who finished fourth, all saw positives in defeat, as did Patrick Mullins, who felt Gaelic Warrior would improve.

"He just took a blow before the third last and I had to sit on him, but he has run on well," Mullins said. "The winner is hard fit and probably got away."

That he did, but we all love a gift at Christmas and Slevin grabbed this one with both hands. He won't be quite as sore now.

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