Seldom will you witness such a roar around a racing track. It was there to be heard by the thousands on Sunday evening as Troy Parrott sent the crowd and the country into a frenzy of absolute joy. The team at Navan pulled out all the stops to get the Sunday card up and running, given the ferocious fall of rain, in the run up to the Third Navan Racing Festival and they deserve credit for that.
In Budapest,the Irish soccer team so too did they, adding to the fervor of the atmosphere at the track, though the eight card race card had just finished, many stayed on to enjoy the music and craic. They didn’t realise what a bonus was instore,when Parrott somehow got the touch to sink Hungary and send Ireland fans bonkers, with his hat-trick .
Some will remember a field in Slane in September 2001, when a certain Jason McAteer, sent the U2 fans mad with his goal against Holland in the second half, televised on the big screen. There was around 35,000 in the old Lansdowne, a good few more in Slane. Roll on Saipan 2002, another roller coaster of Irish frolics was to emerge.
The main event on the track saw Answer to Kayf win The Bar One Racing TROYtown Handicap, race 6 on the card. The race looked as though one of the local trainers would take the honours with Gordon Elliott with seven , Gavin Cromwell with three, Noel Meade’s charge fancied, and a number of other local trainers. The crowd were to see the Cork based Terence O’Brien land the honours. In fairness , his gelding was the comfortable winner to Yeah man and Dunboyne who all ran well. There wa 14 horses finished the testing three mile handicap.
It was unfortunate to lose the Saturday date with rain but in the scheme of things with the tragedy that unfolded in Gibstown on Saturday night, it puts it all into perspective, five young souls lost in a horrific road accident. All our thoughts are with the families, friends and community. The card was run on Monday. Found A Fifty , winning the Bar One Racing Fortria and helping Gordon Elliott celebrate two trebles over the Navan Festival. The idea of the Navan Festival has caught on and looks as a staple on the Irish Racing Calendar. It would be great to see a Grade 1 added at some stage. The Navan track deserves it.
Below some of the pictures from Sunday’s at the Navan Racing Festival:
The Cork trained, Answer To Kayf ,ran well to land the winners purse of €59,000 prize. The Terence O’Brien trained bay held of the challenges of Yeah Man and Dunboyne both trained by locally based Gavin Cromwell and Ian Patrick Donoghue. On soft ground the jockeys kept a sensible pace with jockey John Shinnick , a three pound claimer, winning in reasonable comfort after the tough and testing three mile handicap. Sponsored by Bar One Racing with a pot of €100,000 in the Grade 3 Steeplechase famous to the Navan Track. There was Flemensfirth breeding on the breeding which would have loved the conditions.
The aptly named St Denis’s Well obliged for Declans Bar Syndicate ridden by James Smith (5 lb Claim) for local trainer Ian Patrick Donoghue at 3/1 joint favourite in 2 mile Gaeil Colmcille GAA Race.
The crowds enjoying the fun and the crack at the Navan Festival on Sunday.
All smiles as the largest cheer on the day was generated with Troy Parrott’s 96 minute winner in Budapest as Ireland’s Soccer team kept in the race to the World Cup 2026 in North America next summer. The cheers put a big bounce into the evening with everyone in high spirits!
The large crowd enjoying the navan Racing Festival on Troytown Day was there a clue in the name with another Troy doing the business with a hattrick in Budapest.
The crowd enjoying the navan Racing Festival on Troytown Day was there a clue in the name with another Troy doing the business with a hattrick in Budapest and below race goers enjoying their day at the Fina Fence Marque.
