HEART Wood threw his hat into the ring as a possible King George contender with a workmanlike victory on seasonal debut in the Grade 3 BetVictor Chase, the highlight of a double on the afternoon for Henry de Bromhead and Darragh O’Keeffe.

The Robcour-owned gelding, runner-up in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham in March, challenged Monbeg Park early in the straight and the 4/9 favourite eventually got on top of that rival on the run-in of this two-mile, seven-furlong event to score by a length and three quarters.