SADDLERS STORM made it a hat-trick with a cosy victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Handicap Chase Final at Navan yesterday.
Davy Russell sent his mount to the front approaching two out in the € 48,500 contest and the 4 to 1 favourite beat Jack The Bus by five lengths.
“It was a toss-up whether to come here or run at Cheltenham in the four-miler,” said winning trainer Tony Martin. “The plan since Christmas was to run in the four-miler and Derek (O’Connor) was to ride, but off 114 I thought we couldn’t miss this.”
Vintage Oak produced a fine front-running performance to gain a deserved win in the Slane Handicap Hurdle at Navan.
Ciaran O’Brien’s charge had been seriously unlucky when falling in the lead at Limerick on his penultimate start but there were no such mistakes today when he beat Nintytwo Team by a length-and-three-quarters.
Deal Done got off to a good start over fences in the beginners chase. Paddy Flood sent his mount to the front at the third last and he never looked in danger thereafter. “He’s a nice horse and hopefully he’ll do something at Fairyhouse and Punchestown,” said trainer Dessie Hughes. “We’ll enter him for the Powers Gold Cup – it looks a smart race this year.”
In Limerick, Morning Supreme maintained her unbeaten record over jumps with a game all-the-way win in the Dawn Omega Milk EBF Mares Novice Hurdle. The 1 to 2 favourite, dictated things from the front under Ruby Walsh and finished ahead by four and a half lengths.
Inistioge, under Andrew Leigh, gained reward for her consistency with a gutsy success in the €42,500 ITBA EBF Dawn Run Mares Novice Chase.
