PETER Fahey was back in the headlines at Navan last Saturday, as Canal End landed the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Handicap Chase Final.

The Monasterevin handler has enjoyed a quiet season by his own admission and the J.P McManus-owned gelding was a welcome winner in the €60,000 contest.

Mark Walsh took the mount on the 4/1 favourite and produced him with a powerful surge to lead on the run-in and record a convincing four-and-a-half length win over Cheerful Chap.

It was a first success over fences for the Walk In The Park gelding and Fahey said: “I’m delighted, we haven’t had the best of seasons, so it’s great for a horse like him to come out and do something in a nice race like that,” said Fahey. “I’m looking forward to getting him out again.

“The whole way through the race, I was never really happy with him. It was only from the back of the last that he really found loads and stayed at it.

“We’ll try and find another chase for him between Fairyhouse and Punchestown.”

Earned fee

In the other chase on the card, John Shinnick earned his riding fee aboard Jay Pee M in the two miles and a furlong handicap.

The Terence O’Brien-trained gelding made a few mistakes on the way around, but came to challenge after the second last and found plenty on the run-in to beat In The Trenches by a length and a half.

Shinnick said of the 5/2 favourite: “You’d want double riding fees for him! He’s just hard on himself. There he didn’t jump too bad, but sometimes he gets it into his head and he just goes left, he’s all the time just in your right hand.

“He ran very fresh in my hands around there and took a few chances. To be fair, he has ability, it’s just about managing him right.”

JIM Bolger sent out his first winner under National Hunt rules since the great Annie Power won a bumper back in 2012, when Eastern Legend claimed the opening Mongey Communication Maiden Hurdle.

Keith Donoghue took the mount on the 1/2 favourite and he was prominent throughout, asserting before the last for a comprehensive four-and-a-half length win over Fad Eadrainn.

The winner was taking a drop in class, having competed in Grade 1 company on his last two outings, including when third to Romeo Coolio at Leopardstown over Christmas.

“He jumped well early on and even at the first two down the back, when I was on my own, he jumped them well but then at the fourth last he missed it and he was a bit slow over the third last,” said Donoghue.

“He was good at the last two in the straight and he’s well able to jump, sometimes he just lacks a bit of confidence. He had good form in Grade 1s and, on his rating, he was entitled to do that.

“I think he can keep going during the summer and he could end up being a Galway Hurdle type of horse, if his jumping shaped up.”

In the second division of that maiden hurdle Le Grand Peinture was a bit of a surprise to trainer Lorna Fowler, when running out an easy winner.

The Elusive Pimpernel gelding opened up a healthy lead after the third, but came back to the field jumping two out.

Jack Gilligan had kept plenty up his sleeve though, as the 9/1 shot skipped clear before the last to record a 14-length success over Zoffman.

“I knew he’d run well, but I didn’t expect that,” said Fowler. “Jack knew what was underneath him. The lead was quite substantial, but he was doing it so easy. It was brilliant. I knew he’d come on from the first run in every way. That gave us a bit of a feel for him.

“We’ll talk to the owners, but we’ll keep him going now anyway. He’ll love the better ground.”

CARDCOUNTER made it two wins from two completed starts over hurdles, when running out a gutsy winner of the two miles and six furlongs novice event for Gordon Elliott.

The Milan gelding made all for Danny Gilligan, but was strongly pressed over the second last.

He knuckled down well before the final flight and, despite being slightly untidy there, the 7/2 shot bounded up the hill to record a length-and-a-quarter success over Blue Mosque.

Autoportrait was another to make all the running, when gaining a deserved success in the two-and-a-half mile maiden hurdle.

Mouse Morris’s charge was pressed going to the last, but found plenty for Darragh O’Keeffe to record a length-and-three-quarters win over Smooth Scotch.

The Authorized gelding had been placed on four previous outings for the yard and Morris said of the Robcour-owned five-year-old: “He had been running well, knocking on the door. He’ll make up into a nice staying chaser. He’ll probably have one more run this year, he’s still growing.”

Amanha agenda

Dermot McLoughlin is looking forward to running Amanha on nicer ground, after she took the mares’ handicap hurdle in fine style.

Paddy O’Hanlon came to dispute before the second last on the Authorized mare and she kicked on before the final flight to post a three-and-a-quarter length win in the two-miler.

Burrows Drive could also have another outing this term, after an impressive victory in the concluding bumper on the card. Philip Dempsey’s charge went to post 3/1 joint-favourite in the two-miler and made all under Finny Maguire.

He gave stallion Authorized a treble on the card, when scooting clear over a furlong out to record a 12-length victory over Ma Jacks Hill.