Yeterday saw the resheduled meeting at Navan race track that was cancelled with weather the Saturday before
Cheltenham.
All though the crowd was well down due to the Monday date, on the day there was some great racing.
Any Second Now, ridden by Denis O’Regan was the comfortable winner of the Webster Cup a Grade 2 race,justifying his 5/4 favourite
tag.
The Ted Walsh trained charge now heads to the English Grand national. Jumpimg well,the result never seemed in doubt
as went away from Velvet Elvis trained by local man Gavin Cromwell to win by seven lenghts. He priced at 16/1 in the markets.
The first four winners went to all the favourites all won on the card but the next three fell to there some fancy prices.
These were in order races one to four:
Thecompany sergeant 7/4 ; Carbon King 2/1; Senior Chief 6/4; Any Second Now 5/4.
JP McManus colours won the 15.55 race with the Robert Tyner’s trainer Better Times Ahead(10/1) a winning double for the owner.
Misty Hollow ,was the big priced winner(16/1) of the day,coming home a half lenght against Gordon Elliot’s. Pats Choice.
Always prominent Pats Choice just didn’t have enoug in the tank to hold off Edward Cawley’s Misty Hollow.
The bumper though saw a change of fortunes with Elliots,Farren Glory(3/1), winning by over four lenghts. Mr JJ Codd bidded his time
and delivered his attack to pull away from the others which also included Gavin Cromwells,Mint Boy( 11/4) ,who finished third to
Richard O’Brien Extrapolation(20/1). This was a tough race to find a winner but Gordon was always confident he has a chance as he pointed
out on the night of the Bective Stud sponsored Cheltenham preview held in The Arkle at the Proudstown venue on Friday 10th March last.
Caragh Monaghan
Yesterday also saw a local woman Caragh Monaghan ride her first national Hunt race. The Kenstown based jockey works with the Cromwell
stable along with Aoibhe, her twin sister. Allthough finshing down the field Attitash owned by her dad Caoloc is hoping for better times.
Indeed she has tasted success at the highest level being on the winning Meath team that won the Ladies All Ireland last year. Caragh will hope to follow in the footsteps of Rachel Blackmore who also has a winner with Senior Chief in the third race. David Jennings was acting as MC on the day and did some interviews recounting the successes of last week at Cheltenham with jockeys and trainers through the meeting.
Hopefully it won’t be too long before he has the opportunity to talk to Caragh.
Photo of Keith Donoghue, Caragh Monaghan and Danny Mullins on the Cheltenham Gallops last week.
Navan’s next card Wednesday 29th March sees the first of six flat fixures to through the summer.
