A STUNNING first season amongst the professional ranks reached a new and altogether different high as Cork-born Shane Fitzgerald combined with the Joseph O’Brien-trained Assemble to take the Guinness Kerry National.

The new season was less than two weeks old when Fitzgerald (23) won on his first ride as a professional at Clonmel. Just over two months later the jockey further advertised his talents with a 1463/1 treble at Tipperary and this latest victory, by far the biggest of his career, moved the rider on to a most impressive 22 winners for the campaign.