Navan Report: Travino secured the first success of his jumping career when landing an all-the-way victory in yesterday's Grade One feature at Navan.
The giant Mags Mullins-trained six-year-old dominated the Barry and Sandra Kelly Memorial Novice Hurdle from start to finish, pinching a vital 10-length lead at the off, and then having a neck in hand of the favourite Nicanor on the line.
Stretched behind was one of the best novice fields so far this season including both Powerstation and Forty Licks who had got the better of Travino in his two previous hurdles starts.
"Today was always the plan. Even when he got beat the first day we stayed with it and he has kept improving," said an exultant Mullins who was scoring a top level victory at the very first attempt.
Bookmaker reaction was to cut Travino to a general 16 to 1 for the SunAlliance Hurdle although Cashmans also make him a 10 to 1 second favourite for the Brit Insurances Novices' Hurdle over three miles at the festival.
"I suppose Cheltenham is the thing, but we will have to wait and see," said Mullins who revealed that jockey John Cullen consulted beforehand with both Ruby Walsh and Paul Cashman who rode Travino to win three bumpers.
"John gave him a super ride. I left it up to him. We just wanted to see what everyone else was doing," she added.
"He won't run at Christmas and we'll give him a break. Three mile chases is going to be his game so this is a bonus."
Nicanor supporters were left ruing the start and a slight mistake at the second last which had claimed him on his previous start here while Michael Hourigan intends giving a break to the third horse home, Mossbank.
"You won't see him again until about February. He needs better ground for that stride of his," Hourigan said.
The in-form rider Davy Russell must have thought his luck had run out when the favourite McGruders Cross fell at the seventh in the novice chase won by Father Matt.
Despite bruising his right leg, which later forced him to be stood down for the day, Russell remounted to finish fourth, a position he also filled on Powerstation in the feature.
However, Russell's luck returned with a vengeance in a dramatic Labrokes Handicap Hurdle where he somehow managed to get the gamble of the race Sack The Auditor up in the last stride.
The Donie Hassett-trained horse was backed from double figures in the morning to 4 to 1 favourite but looked to be hanging badly and not helping his rider all the way up the straight.
On the run to the last another well-backed runner, Chesney, appeared to have the race in the bag but at the last second he crashed out through the wing of the final flight giving rider Davy Condon a heavy fall.
That left Renvyle Society in front but Russell threw everything at his mount and almost despite himself Sack The Auditor won by the minimum margin.
Afterwards Hassett's explanation for the improvement in Sack The Auditor's form was noted by the stewards.
Bookmakers might have thought their luck was in earlier in the day when the 2 to 7 favourite Arch Rebel was outpointed in the opener. the Christmas Hurdle, by Johnny Murtagh's mount Maxxium.
"John has his eye in and is really enjoying it. It's a great help having him around but he will be off to Dubai in January," said Maxxium's trainer Michael Halford.
However, the layers were hammered again in the handicap chase where Dun Doire was backed to odds-on and was never at full stretch to defeat Ransboro.
Christy Roche scored a double that was completed by the well-bred Female, a half-sister to Joe Mac and Direct Route, who made a winning debut in the mares' bumper.
"She's special and the valuable fillies bumper at the Punchestown Festival is the dream," said the Curragh trainer. Cashmans, however, introduced her to the Cheltenham bumper betting at 20 to 1.
"I'm afraid to see what Noel O'Brien (handicapper) will do next!" smiled Roche who recounted how Fortmassini's jumping has improved since his novice days. "There are no specific plans for him. We'll just try and win another race with him," Roche added.
