IRISHMAN Martin Kelly and Thubiaan may well be on their way to Japan next season, such is the opinion of trainer Eric Musgrove following the trios triumph in the Brierly Steeplechase on the first day one Warrnambool’s three-day May Carnival.

The American-bred Dynaformer gelding put in a faultless display over the 3,450 metres of the A$100,000 feature to coast to a six-length win from the Pentire gelding Jervois. The Elvstroem gelding King Triton was a further four lengths back, just ahead of the subsequent Grand Annual Steeplechase winner Regina Coeli with Johnny Allen up.