THE Gold Cup hero Paul Townend returned to a rather different atmosphere at Navan last Saturday as the second Irish meeting took place behind closed doors.
It was business as usual for the champion jockey, however, as he gave Francin a fine hold-up ride to claim the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Hurdle.
The 4/1 shot, trained by his boss Willie Mullins, swooped on the run-in to trump Sixshooter and record a two-length victory in the colours of Rich Ricci.
“The ground is rotten but he galloped away through it as well as anything would I’d say,” said the winning rider. “He took a while to win, we have him a long time, but he’s won two now and he’ll definitely keep progressing. He’s a nice horse and I’d say chasing will be his game down the line.”
Only four went to post in the featured Webster Cup Chase and Castlegrace Paddy bounced back to form to claim the Grade 2 event for Pat Fahy.
Bryan Cooper did the steering on the 10/3 shot and his mount travelled well to tackle front-runner Ornua after the second last. A slight mistake at the final fence didn’t effect him as he galloped on strongly in the closing stages to record a two-and-three-quarter-length win.
“I had thought about going for the Grand Annual, and thought he was well in, but Joe Foley and Steve Parkin wanted to come for this and when we saw the entries it looked like the right move,” revealed Fahy afterwards.
The winner who had also won at this level when taking the Hilly Way Chase in Cork back in December 2018.
JIMMIL picked a nice race in which to open his account when running out a cosy winner of the €65,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Handicap Chase.
The 10/1 shot was given a confident ride by Conor Maxwell as he travelled sweetly to take it up from 4/5 favourite Treacysenniscorthy before the final fence,
Gavin Cromwell’s charge went on to record a comprehensive five-and-a-half-length win in the colours of Terence Conroy.
Fairyhouse might have been on the agenda for the six-year-old Milan gelding but that remains to be seen and the winning trainer added: “He fell here a couple of runs ago when he over-jumped but it’s come together and this is a great pot to win.”
Conright Boy gains deserved win
THE Cathy O’Leary-trained Conright Boy got his head in front in the Navan Members Handicap Chase with a game front-running performance.
The Chevalier gelding wasn’t winning out of turn having been runner-up on four occasions this season.
He gave Donagh Meyler a scare at the sixth fence when slowing right down into it but proved very willing from the last to score by two-and-a-quarter lengths from Spare Brakes.
Shane Crawley had Thereisnodoubt in tip top form on his return to action as he swooped on the run-in to claim the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.
Eoin O’Connell got a great tune from the 12/1 shot in the closing stages to record a four-length win over 2/1 favourite Instant Return.
“I’m delighted with that as he had been off for 318 days. He just had a few niggly problems,” said the trainer. “We found a nice little race for him today and Eoin gave him lovely quiet ride. He loves that ground.”
THE opening Bective Restaurant Maiden Hurdle produced the tightest finish of the afternoon with Lynwood Gold just edging the verdict.
He fought it out with 10/11 shot Blackbow from the second last and the Jessica Harrington-trained gelding had his head down at the right time to prevail by a short-head under Robbie Power, in the colors of Robcour.
The winning jockey feels the Mastercraftsman gelding will get further than two miles in time.
Eoin Walsh came in for praise from boss Noel Meade after guiding Gigginstown House Stud’s Barbary Master to victory in the concluding bumper.
The Presenting gelding overcame the testing conditions when staying on best in the closing stages to post a two-and-a-quarter-length win over Jimmy Jimmy.
Stuart Crawford’s charge Largy Debut, now in the colours of Chris Jones, was sent off 7/4 favourite, having been backed from as big as 12/1 in the morning, and shaped with plenty of promise in third.