THE best was left for last at Navan on Sunday, as Kalypso’chance posted an impressive victory in the concluding Listed Irish EBF Future Champions INH Flat Race.

Gordon Elliott ran two exciting Gigginstown prospects in the listed contest and it was the Masked Marvel gelding, who went to post 5/4 favourite in the two-miler. Patrick Mullins was in the plate and held his mount up before producing him with a strong surge to lead passing the furlong marker.

Galloped on strongly

The chesnut soon put the race to bed, as he galloped on strongly to post a four-and-a-half length win over Heads Up. The other Gigginstown runner Classical Creek was a neck back in third.

“I’d say he’s a smart horse,” said Elliott. “Patrick said he’s a fair horse. We’ll probably end up going to Leopardstown [Dublin Racing Festival], all being well. He quickened really well, it was a nice race and I was happy with him.”

The winner is now best priced 7/1 favourite for the Cheltenham bumper.

GAVIN Cromwell struck twice on the card sponsored by the Irish Stallion Farms EBF, which was designed to afford opportunities to the middle sector of the horse population.

Midnight It Is made an impressive return to action in the two-mile handicap chase for owner Brendan Keogh. Sean Flanagan gave the 10/1 shot a confident ride as he travelled well to lead before the last and post an easy length-and-a-half win over the staying on Folly Master.

“Obviously he hadn’t run for a long time, but he runs well fresh,” said Cromwell. “We’ve been waiting a long time for the ground for him. He’s been ready for quite a while and we were anxious to get him out.

“He won well and we might have a look at the Dan Moore. Hopefully, we’re up to that grade.”

Favourite fights for it

35 minutes later, Individualiste was made to work hard to land odds of 10/11 in the two-and-a-half mile handicap chase.

Keith Donoghue’s mount also travelled well to lead after the third last, but he had to dig deep when pressed by A Wave Of The Sea from the last to secure a half-length win.

“He had to battle, I was definitely a little bit worried for a while,” said Cromwell of Owen Daley’s gelding. “He got the jump at the last and he was gutsy enough. A Wave Of The Sea is a classy horse on his day.

“We’ll see where we go from here. He travelled quite well there, so we could potentially come back in trip a bit.”

Troop on upward curve

Brave Troop made it two from two since joining Charles Byrnes, when claiming the opening two-mile handicap hurdle. James Smith delivered the 13/8 favourite to lead before the last and record a cosy four-length win over Lygon Lad.

“We’re delighted. He settled much better today, so he was able to ride him that bit closer and he picked up nicely,” said Byrnes. “He’s jumping better and settling better and I think that’s why he has improved.

“There might be something in Leopardstown for him. He might creep into the bottom of the two-miler there. Two miles on decent ground is important.”

JOHN Bowe is hoping the future is bright for Glen Kiln (9/2), owned and trained by his brother Michael, after he posted an impressive win in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle.

The five-year-old was left in the lead after the second flight and made the best of his way home from there, scoring by an easy six lengths under Brian Hayes.

“He’s a very nice horse,” John Bowe said afterwards. “He schooled last week over fences and we were going to go for a beginners chase, but the ground was nicer here, he wants soft ground.

“We love him, he’s a horse for the future. He’s from Sweet Kiln and Limestone Lad’s family. We had great luck with them around this track years ago, so it’s great to be back here. We haven’t had a winner in Navan for many years.”

Winning handicap debut

Mags Mullins is also hoping the best is ahead with Blaze The Way (16/1), after he made a winning start in handicap company in the three-mile-one contest.

The Getaway gelding, owned by the trainer along with Brian and Tom Groarke, had been well-beaten in Grade 3 company on his last visit to the track.

He put that behind him when coming with a strong run on the run-in to record a three-and-a-quarter length win, under the trainer’s son Danny.

“I’m delighted with him,” the trainer said. “He won his bumper and was placed over hurdles. I think he’s a stayer and the last day we kind of rode him the wrong way in a better race. I’ve liked him for a while and I wasn’t surprised to see that.

“We’ll get him back home now and talk with the two boys. We won’t go again quickly with him, there might be something at the Thyestes meeting for him.”

Trip does the trick

Staying is also the biggest asset of Verdant Place, who opened his chase account in the three-mile handicap. Simon Torrens produced the 3/1 favourite to lead before the last, as the J.P. McManus-owned gelding recorded a length-and-a-half win over Salmanino.

“It was brilliant to get it,” said trainer Pat Foley. “Fair play to Simon, that’s his third win on him now. He’s probably not the most straight-forward in the world, but Simon really knows him inside out.

“His jumping probably still has to improve a little bit, he’s not the slickest over them, but three miles around Navan takes a bit of jumping.

“If the ground was softer, you could drop him back a bit more, but definitely on that ground he needs three miles. He won’t be running over Christmas and we’ll find something similar in the new year.”