Navan Sunday review & replays on Troytown Handicap Chase day
By Sporting Life
14:04 · SUN November 19, 2023
A review of the action so far from Navan on Sunday including a Grade 2 success for Croke Park.
Croke Park justified short-priced favouritism for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud in the John Lynch Carpets & Flooring Monksfield Novice Hurdle.
The wide-margin Clonmel maiden scorer was made to work for the Grade 2 success, however, briefly looking tapped for toe before grinding his way past stablemate Mel Monroe (11/2) and being kept up to his work to score by three and a quarter lengths.
Elliott saddled the first, second, third and fourth, with Search For Glory (7/2) and Pinyon Jay (16/1) rounding out the first four home.
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
“He’s a lovely horse, Jack (Kennedy) said he probably wants three miles in time. He said he didn’t do a whole lot when he got there, but he did it well and jumped well,” said Elliott.
“We probably don’t have to go three miles yet. He’s a big horse and he’s had two runs now so I might even keep him for (the Grade One in) Naas. I don’t know if I’d be wanting to be going to the well too much. I think he is a nice horse.
“Mel Monroe is a nice mare and has improved an awful lot from Cheltenham. She was just about fit enough to go there and ran well. It looks like she came on again and it was a great run, a nice bit of black type.
“Search For Glory might come back here for the good handicap hurdle, the €100,000 race. Mel Monroe might come back for that as well, she could step up or drop back in trip."
Earlier, Elliott’s Kala Conti was an effortless winner at on her Irish debut. The filly is French-bred and won her sole start in her home nation by 10 lengths in May before changing hands.
Her Irish career began in the Bar One Racing “Price Boosts Across All Channels” 3-Y-O Hurdle, a race she was the 2/13 favourite in against just two rivals.
Under Jack Kennedy she made all the running and never saw another horse, easily navigating her way around the two-mile trip to cross the line at a canter 14 lengths ahead of stablemate Roboreti.
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
“She’s a nice filly. Jack said he could have gone around again, she would have done more at home,” said Elliott.
“I’d imagine we’ll probably look at the Graded race in Fairyhouse in two weeks’ time and she’ll have an entry at Newbury on the same weekend. The other horse was taking her on and you’re always waiting for something to go wrong in those races but it was pretty straightforward and she did it well.”
Look To The West (right) ridden by Rachael Blackmore clears the last
Brian Acheson’s Robcour colours did not have to wait long for another success with a smart prospect, as Look To The West took the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle for Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead.
Another making her debut under rules in Ireland, the five-year-old was the 9/4 joint-favourite and made the running before prevailing by a length.
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
“Delighted with that. She came well recommended for her point-to-point, but last year she was just a bit immature still and had a couple of little issues,” said De Bromhead.
“She’d been working really well and we thought she was nice. It’s not easy to make it around there and it looked a nice race. She hasn’t run for a long time so hopefully she’ll keep improving as well.
“She jumped a bit right but otherwise she was really good.
“We’ve got her started and now we can look at the next level. I’d say she’ll get further, but she looked good over that trip. She gallops and jumps.
“Maybe something like the Solerina, but we’ll see what everyone wants to do and enjoy today.”
The first big-field handicap of the day - the Gaeil Colmcille GAA Kells "Day At The Races" Handicap Hurdle - went the way of 40/1 chance St Denis's Well for trainer Ian Donoghue and jockey Carragh Monaghan.
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Fast Results
Scores
