THERE was a real party atmosphere at Navan as the Meath track celebrated its centenary last Sunday and Run Wild Fred stole the show with a dominant performance in the Ladbrokes Troytown Chase.

Gordon Elliott registered his fifth win in the prestigious handicap when the Gigginstown House Stud gelding produced a fine front-running performance to run out a cosy winner.

Davy Russell bounced out in front on the 4/1 favourite and the Shantou gelding kicked clear before the second last in the three-miler.

The result never looked in doubt from there and, despite a slow jump at the last, he galloped on strongly in the closing stages to post a comprehensive seven-and-a-half-length win.

Stablemate Farclas, in the same colours, chased him home to give Elliott a one-two in a race close to his heart: “I’m delighted for myself, number one, to win the race, and for all the staff in the yard, for all my owners as well. Gigginstown have stood by me 100% through thick and thin.

“It’s a proud day to be here at my local track and you can see all the crowd here, it’s brilliant with family and friends enjoying it as well.

“As everyone knows we’ve been through a tough year but we’re back now and we’re training winners, the team I have behind me is unbelievable.”

On the winner he added: “I know he was still a maiden over fences but he had good form. I believe to win these good staying handicap chases they have to be graded or listed placed the season before. That’s what the first and second horses had done.

“Both of them could be Grand National horses but I think the National Hunt Chase could be written all over this horse.

“Michael (O’Leary) might have different ideas. I think the race is made for him and I’m a big believer in going for the race you think you can win.”

Speedy Games

Elliott and Russell were completing a double on the day following the victory of Hollow Games in the chief support race, the John Lynch Carpets Monksfield Novice Hurdle.

The Beat Hollow gelding went to post a 2/5 shot to maintain his unbeaten record and was asked to hit the front after the third last in the two-and-a-half-mile event.

He started to assert going to the final flight and was well on top at the line to record a two-and-a-quarter-length win over Lunar Display in the Grade 3 contest.

“Davy said after the race ‘he’s not as slow as you think he is, when it turned into a sprint he quickened, put his head out and galloped’,” reported Elliott of the Bective Stud-owned charge.

“I was worried as they went no gallop but he will have learned a lot there. I think he’ll go to Naas now (Grade 1 Lawlors Of Naas Novice Hurdle).”

Queally conquers

The same connections had seen another odds-on shot turned over in the preceding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle over the same trip.

Au Fleuron could only finish fourth on his debut for the yard in a race where Noah’s Light swooped on the run-in to grab success for trainer/jockey Declan Queally.

The 13/2 shot had been third on his track debut a fortnight previously and stepped forward to record a length-and-a-quarter success over Dartan.

Queally said: “I was actually offered him at a minimum price myself as a young horse. I didn’t take him and offered him to Michael (Ryan).

“That’s life and I’m sorry I don’t own him now but I’m delighted my good friend Michael does.

“He had a lovely run here the last day and was obviously going to improve. Michael would be a selling man so he’ll probably be gone now.”

IT was fitting that racecourse chairman Noel Meade was on the scoresheet on a significant day in the track’s history and The Model Kingdom was an impressive winner of the concluding Coolmore NH Sires EBF Mares Bumper.

The Aizavoski filly was sent to post 2/1 favourite in the listed contest and travelled supremely well to take it up two furlongs from home.

Pat Taaffe kept his mount going in the closing as she recorded a length-and-a-half win over the staying-on Harmonya Maker.

“The last thing I said as he was going out was ‘the last fence Pat don’t be in front before then’. I thought she was going to get caught and I did sweat a bit in the last furlong,” said Meade.

“I suppose we’ll look at the Dublin Racing Festival with her. If she gets through that she’ll probably have another run somewhere.

“There is the mares’ race in Liverpool and if she won at Leopardstown you could think about Cheltenham.”

Crowd back

Reflecting on the day he added: “It’s great to see a crowd like that back here again. I remember when I was a kid it was like that every time I came here and you’d been beating your way down through the bookies ring. It was lovely to see the people here. It’s been a great day.”

Battling Kapard

The big crowd on the day gave Rachael Blackmore a warm reception as she returned to the winner’s enclosure aboard Kapard after her victory in the Boardsmill Stud Irish EBF Beginner Chase.

The two-mile, one-furlong contest boiled down to a match between front-runner Mt Leinster and Henry de Bromhead’s filly.

Having come to lead after the second last, the Alan Halsall-owned daughter of Kapgarde had to fight off the long-time leader again over the last, getting home by a half-length in a driving finish.

“I thought turning in I still had plenty under me. She picked up the whole way up the straight, idled a bit when I got to the front but then battled back really well again,” reported Blackmore.

THE easiest winner on the card was undoubtedly Futurum Regem in the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle. Hugh Finegan’s charge jumped to the front two from home in the two-mile, six-furlong contest and sprinted away before the last to settle matters.The 12/1 shot was pulling up close home, under Dillon Maxwell, to record a nine-length win over Robinstown.

“He’s a small little horse, he needed a light weight on his back and good ground,” said Finegan. “He was never able to carry weight and hopefully the handicapper will see that and won’t be too hard on us.”

Clarens hat-trick

The other handicap hurdle was a closer affair with 4/1 shot Clarens holding the late charge of Sil Ver Klass to record a three-quarter-length win in the two-mile opener. It was a hat-trick of successes for the John Flavin-trained gelding, and his partner Jack Foley, following on from his wins for the Miracle Racing Syndicate at Listowel and Wexford.