Navan review and free video replays | Kennedy and Elliott strike

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Home By The Lee turned the tables on Bob Olinger to take the Railway Bar Lismullen Hurdle at Navan.

The two horses have met in this contest three times, with the former defeating the latter by two lengths in 2022.

The following year the ever-popular Bob Olinger exacted his revenge and took the title as Home By The Lee could only finish third, with Zanahiyr between them.

This year Henry de Bromhead’s Bob Olinger was the 11/8 favourite with Home By The Lee sent off at 7/1 for Joseph O’Brien, and it was the two geldings who locked horns in the latter stages of the Grade Two affair.

O’Brien’s runner eventually prevailed, scoring by three and a half lengths under Danny Mullins to regain his title.

“He ran well in the race the last couple of years and he was a good bit better off at the weights this year,” said O’Brien.

“It is very much his first run of the year, but I thought he really went through the race well and jumped well. Danny was impressed with him. I couldn’t be happier.

“We always keep him fresh, so we will wait for Christmas (Hurdle, Leopardstown) now and then he will go from Christmas to Cheltenham. His path kind of plots itself.”

Betfair cut Home By The Lee’s odds for the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham to 16/1 from 25/1.

Wingmen delivers for Elliott

Gordon Elliott’s Wingmen got his hurdling career off to a pleasing start when taking the Kilberry Pub & Kitchen Maiden Hurdle.

The six-year-old is a point-to-point winner whose bumper spell resulted in two wins and a place from three attempts.

Under Jack Kennedy he was the 8-15 favourite to get off the mark on his first go over obstacles and duly did so, pulling clear from the field alongside Henry de Bromhead’s Forty Coats and prevailing by three lengths.

“It was a good performance, I thought, because he went a little bit right the whole way,” said Elliott.

“Jack said when he let him on a bit he was better, and he was half-idling in the home straight. He’s a smart horse, so we’ll see where we go. Maybe he will go the other way around. He’s a big chasing horse, he’s a horse for next year really.

“He has (a fair engine) and they pulled well clear of the third. He (Kennedy) said he won snug.”

Kennedy added: “First time over hurdles and I’d say there is improvement, maybe over a longer trip.”

Betfair left Wigmen unchanged at 33/1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Turners Novices’ Hurdle in March.

Easy does it for Bleu de Vassy

Bleu De Vassy was much the best when winning the Bar One Racing For Auction Novice Hurdle.

Elliott’s five-year-old was the 4/6 favourite after taking his hurdles debut by a huge 25 lengths last time out at Fairyhouse.

He had some bumper form prior to that and was the chosen mount of Cullentra stable jockey Jack Kennedy over stablemate Patter Merchant.

At Grade Three level the Gigginstown-owned bay travelled like a dream throughout the race and had no problem in pulling away from the field to score by a comfortable five lengths.

“I was impressed with him in Fairyhouse, but we weren’t sure how good a race it was. You have to be impressed with what he did there.” said Elliott.

“Jack said he didn’t mind that ground. We were running him last year on heavy ground and I couldn’t understand why he was getting beaten. I was disappointed in a few bumpers last year. Maybe he doesn’t want it as soft as that.

“I’d say he is a good horse and he looks nice. He travels with a lot of pace.”

When asked about a tilt at the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse, the trainer added: “He’s in it, but it might come a bit soon.”

Fifty brings up Elliott hat-trick

The consistent Found A Fifty struck on a good afternoon for Elliott to take the Bar One Racing Fortria Chase.

The seven-year-old, who is owned by Bective Stud, was never out of the top two in his first season over fences last term.

Grade One wins in the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown and the Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree were the highlights, and he returned this term in similarly good form to win at Down Royal earlier in the month.

After that success he was the 11/8 favourite at Navan in Grade Two company, and Jack Kennedy’s mount pulled it out of the bag to score by a neck from Joseph O’Brien’s Solness.

“He (Kennedy) said he didn’t feel as well as when he had ridden him (before),” said Elliott.

“He thought down the back straight they were going quick and he was flat out. He made probably 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 he is a good horse and that was a fair performance.”

When asked about Found A Fifty’s entries in the John Durkan and the King George, the trainer added: “He won’t run in the John Durkan and probably not either. We might go to Leopardstown over two miles at Christmas.”

Fantastic five for Elliott

After that pair had done the business, it was the turn of Down Memory Lane who was making his debut over fences in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase.

The JP McManus-owned gelding struck at 7/1 with a seven-length victory from stablemate and 6/4 favourite King Of Kingsfield to see his price for the Arkle cut from 66/1 to 20/1 with Paddy Power.

Elliott said of his Mark Walsh-ridden winner: “He’s a good horse and had a few small little problems last year. I thought it was a very good performance there today, he jumped great and galloped the whole way to the line. It (Drinmore) might come a bit soon – obviously, I will have a chat with Frank (Berry, racing manager to McManus) and the whole team and see.”

It was Harry Swan who picked up the reins in the Bar One Racing ‘Guaranteed Overnight Prices’ (Pro/Am) Flat Race.

His mount was the 6/4 favourite Whinney Hill, who travelled well from the outset and prevailed by three and a half lengths.

“We knew he had improved plenty from his run (in Punchestown last time),” said Elliott. “He’s a nice horse, still green, but he will probably go jumping now.”

On training five winners on day one of the meeting he added: “Great day – Navan is a lucky track for me and it’s local to me. It’s great to come out with five winners.”

Stroll for Hill

Barry Connell’s Slane Hill strolled to a wide-margin success under Michael O’Sullivan in the Lisadell Equine Hospital Handicap Hurdle.

The seven-year-old has recently reverted to hurdling and put some well-beaten efforts behind him to secure a nine-length victory in a much-improved performance.

“The last couple of runs, he was travelling well in the race but he just wasn’t finishing his race out,” said Connell.

“We stuck a pair of blinkers on him there and it sharpened him up. He has plenty of ability but he is a little bit of a thinker. He’s a handicapper and we will mix it between hurdles and fences, we haven’t got any great ambitions for him.

“Hopefully, that will give him his confidence back. Job done anyway.”

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