Three more for Meade

Victories for local trainer Noel Meade in the last two races on Tuesday were followed up by three of the first four contests …

Victories for local trainer Noel Meade in the last two races on Tuesday were followed up by three of the first four contests at Navan yesterday.

Combining with stable jockey Paul Carbery, Meade sent out Fable to maintain his unbeaten record over hurdles in the opener, followed up with My Native Girl in the maiden hurdle and stable favourite Heist rounded it all up with an 11th career success in the handicap chase.

"He's been a great servant. He's always in the money and must have finished second in a stack of races," said Meade admiringly, who reported that retirement had been considered for Heist at the end of last season.

"Instead we thought we'd keep him to lesser company where he would get away with his jumping. If he could ever have jumped well at speed he would have been some horse but you just have to leave him alone. He has his own way of jumping," Meade added.

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Fable, however, is a horse for the future and the Triumph Hurdle was on Meade's mind as the three-year-old made it three from three over flights with an easy defeat of Francines-Boy and Lucky Cat.

"He works like a real good horse and he jumped much better today. At home he jumps well all the time but when he pulls hard he can be a bit leery," said Meade.

The Carberry-Meade team did miss out, however, on the Virginia Hurdle where Golden Rule outpointed Balla Sola in a messily run race to give Charlie Swan his first winner since returning from a 10 week injury lay-off.

"I feel great, like I've never been away," smiled Swan after Golden Rule found too much for his hard pulling market rival in the closing stages. Golden Rule is in the McManus Hurdle at Tipperary on Saturday but has an alternative of the Listed Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown on Monday.

Insan Brook held out to land the three mile handicap hurdle for Pat Hughes and Garrett Cotter but nothing finished better than the favourite Search For Peace who only went down by three parts of a length after jumping the last in sixth place. Hughes made it a double when Park Leader took the bumper with the heavily backed favourite Native Titan only fourth.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column