GORDON Elliott took day one of the Navan Racing Festival by storm when pulling off a 120/1 five-timer at his local track, including a Grade 2 victory in the Bar One Racing Fortria Chase with the bang in-form Found A Fifty.

Jack Kennedy recorded a treble on the day and Found A Fifty’s local owners Bective Stud enjoyed a double, though they were forced to sweat as the Fortria result needed to be confirmed after a stewards’ inquiry into interference with the second-placed Solness at the final fence.

However, the matter might not be done with yet. Both Solness’ owners Bronsan Racing and rider Danny Mullins have lodged an appeal against the result that will be heard on Tuesday.

Found A Fifty, a Grade 1 winner at Ainree last spring who impressed on his recent return at Down Royal, jumped out to his right up the straight, particularly so when running down the final fence and doing no favours to the plucky runner-up. A neck separated the pair at the line but the placings were left unchanged.

After scoring as the 11/8 favourite in a race where Captain Guinness was pulled up when detached before the third last (found to be clinically abnormal post race), and where Banbridge likely found conditions slower than ideal in fourth, some bookmakers responded by cutting Found A Fifty to 20/1 (from 33/1) for the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

“Jack said he didn’t feel as well as when he had ridden him [previously],” said Elliott. “He thought down the back straight they were going quick and he was flat out. He probably made too much ground from the fifth last to the third last; he got there real quick and he just pulled up in front. I’d say that was a fair performance. We might go to Leopardstown over two miles at Christmas.”

Vassy impresses

Recent maiden hurdle winner Bleu De Vassy (4/6 favourite) made light work of his rivals in the Grade 3 Bar One Racing For Auction Novice Hurdle - following up his last-time-out 25-length victory at Fairyhouse.

With one of his main dangers, the returning Mywayofthinkin, failing to fire and pulled up at the top of the straight when lame, it paved the way for the Gigginstown-owned bumper winner to stamp his class on the two-mile contest in scoring by five lengths.

Elliott said: “He’s in the Royal Bond and it is a possibility if it doesn’t come too soon, it might. I was impressed with him in his maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse but we weren’t sure how good of a race it was. You have to be impressed today.”

Liftoff for Wingmen

Despite some wayward jumping, 8/15 favourite Wingmen made his first start over hurdles a winning one for the Elliott team in the two-and-a-half-mile Kilberry Pub & Kitchen Maiden Hurdle - the same race that stablemate Stellar Story collected in on his way to Albert Bartlett success at Cheltenham.

The Bective Stud-owned six-year-old was an impressive bumper winner at the Punchestown Festival when last seen and again showed that he has a sizeable engine in overcoming drifting out to his right on occasions here.

Wingmen’s performance, winning by three lengths under Kennedy, received mixed reviews from odds compilers, with some bookmakers trimming him to 20/1 (from 25/1) for the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival and others pushing him out to 25/1 (from 20/1).

Elliott said: “I thought it was a good performance because he went a little bit right the whole way. Jack said when he let him on a bit he was better; he was half idling in the straight. He’s a smart horse. Maybe he will go the other way around. He’s a big chasing horse - one for next year, really. Jack said he won snugly.”

Mighty Memory

Arguably the most impressive winner of Elliott’s lot came in the two-mile-one-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase, as Down Memory Lane bounced back from a 325-day layoff since disappointing at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival to win on his chasing bow in some style.

Stablemate King Of Kingsfield was pressing the J.P. McManus-owned 7/1 shot approaching the final fence, but he probably wouldn’t have gotten the better of the argument anyway when making a mistake and finishing seven lengths adrift at the line.

Elliott said: “He’s a good horse and had a few small little problems last year. I thought it was a very good performance today, he jumped great and galloped the whole way to the line. The Drinmore might come a bit soon. I’ll have a chat with Frank [Berry, racing manager to McManus] and the whole team and see.”

Hill hacks up

The Cullentra five-timer was completed in straightforward style when Whinney Hill, backed into 6/4 favourite (from 11/4), collected by three and a half lengths under Harry Swan in the concluding Bar One Racing ‘Guaranteed Overnight Prices’ Bumper.

Speaking after Gigginstown completed a double of their own, Elliott said: “It’s been a great day. Navan is a lucky track for me and obviously local to me too. It’s great to come out with five winners.

“We knew Whinney Hill had improved plenty from his last run at Punchestown. He’s a nice horse, still green, and will probably go jumping now.”