THERE was plenty of graded action in Ireland last weekend and lots of well-known horses on show, but in one event there was quite a shock as the 25/1 outsider of four beat the 4/9 favourite.

The Grade 2 Flyingbolt Novice Chase, named in honour of one of the horse that Timeform rated second (on 210) only to Arkle (212), was that race and although it is fair to say that this did not appear to be the strongest edition of a race of that level, if we are to judge the contenders on what they have achieved so far, time could show that the winner is better than we thought.

Gilgamboa was the hot favourite. He took the lead approaching the final fence but was unable to pull away and Rawnaq fought his way back in front to land the spoils by one and three-quarter lengths. A Grade 3-placed triple winner from 16 starts over hurdles, Rawnaq has also won two from 19 on the flat, and he has been switching between disciplines over the past two years.

This was only his third start over the larger obstacles, and following a 20-length winning debut over two and a half miles at Navan in September, he finished down the field in the Irish Cesarewitch over two miles on the flat at the Curragh before disappointing a little when fourth in a Cork novice chase just a week later.

His victory on at Navan last Sunday, which came after a four-month gap, appears to be easily the best effort of his career to date.

Rawnaq is trained by Matthew Smith, he was bred by Jim Monaghan, and his pedigree is one that would not look out of place on a middle-distance flat Group 1 star. His dual Guineas-placed sire Azamour (by Night Shift) won four Group 1s from eight to 12 furlongs, and the sire of the ill-fated Group 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) heroine Valyra stood at Gilltown Stud up to his premature death last year at the age of just 13.

In addition to his flat pattern winners he has been represented by the Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle scorer Third Intention, and by the four-time Grade 1 hurdles star Zarkandar, and the latter is one of the ante-post favourites for next month’s Grade 1 Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

That star was bred by the Aga Khan and the family from which Rawnaq comes is one that has also achieved fame in those green and red colours.

Sharemata (by Doyoun) was sold for €42,000 at Goffs in November 2006.

Rawnaq was the foal she was carrying at the time, his older siblings include the blacktype-placed dual-purpose horse Shamiran (by Polish Precedent), the triple hurdles scorer Sharekan (by Sinndar), the bumper and hurdles winner Sharevar (by Desert Prince), and also two others who were successful on the flat.

The mare’s most recently registered progeny are a son and daughter of the Group 1 St Leger winner Shantou (by Alleged), born in 2012 and 2013 respectively.

Rawnaq made 28,000gns when sold in Newmarket as a foal and just 3,500gns when his current owner Kevin Smith bought him at that venue three years later. He has earned back that more recent expenditure many times over and has the potential to accumulate plenty more.

His dam is a half-sister to several minor winners, including the dual-purpose pair Sharbadarid (by Night Shift) and Shareef Khan (by Alzao), but his grandam Sharenara (by Vaguely Noble), who was unplaced in two outings on the flat, was a half-sister to Shahrastani (by Nijinsky).

That outstanding chesnut had the misfortune to be born in 1983, for even though his wins included the Derby at Epsom and a runaway performance in the Irish Derby at the Curragh, this was the year that the great Dancing Brave was also in action.

So unlucky not to have beaten Shahrastani at Epsom, he trounced his rival in the King George and again in the Arc, leaving no doubt as to which of them was the three-year-old champion that season. Timeform rated them 140 and 135 respectively.

Shahrastani was disappointing at stud but, as a gelding, his younger relation has no such concerns.

Rawnaq was bred to be a good horse and that is what he has become, even if his talent is quite different from that of his sire and most famous relative.