NORTH Yorkshire trainer Paul Midgley made a successful raid on Navan with victories for One Boy and Giant Spark, both in the hands of Pat Smullen.

Doonard Prince fought hard on his hat-trick mission in the www.navanracecourse.ie Handicap, but couldn't quite rally well enough when headed by 11-2 favourite One Boy, going down by half a length.

Smullen said: "It worked out perfectly and Paul was confident of a good run from him and he handled the ground well. He (Midgley) just said not to get to the front too soon and I probably got there a shade sooner than ideal but he was travelling so well that it lured me into thinking he was going to win easy.

"He's a grand horse and he got to the line well, in fairness to him, and, to be fair to Paul, he does well with those sprinters. I think from early in the week Paul was always intending on coming here and my agent (Kevin O'Ryan) was on the ball."

Giant Spark was always to the fore in the Come Racing Again Sunday 13th November Handicap but appeared set to be swamped when tackled on all sides, and headed, over a furlong out. But Smullen hadn't asked the 3-1 favourite for maximum effort and when he did, Giant Spark responded admirably to get his head back in front and beat Rattling Jewel by a length and a quarter.

Smullen said: "He didn't enjoy coming down the hill and got a bit unbalanced with me. As soon as he hit the rising ground, I could feel him pick up again and he got to the line well. Paul said he'd handle the ground very well and he was confident of a big run. To be fair to him he targeted two races and he nailed both of them.

"He's a huge big horse and he looks anything but a sprinter - he looks like he could be here for the Troytown (Chase) more than a sprint! It just goes to show you can't just judge them on appearances as he looks like a big chaser but he's obviously blessed with plenty of pace."

Smullen completed a treble when making most on the Dermot Weld-trained Vigil, who took the Come Racing Again Sunday 13th November Maiden as the 7-4 favourite.

GREAT SERVANT

Ceol Na Nog has been a great servant to the Jim Bolger yard this season and registered a game triumph in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap.

The three-year-old hadn't got her head in front since completing a hat-trick in the early part of the summer but is rarely far away and benefited from Kevin Manning's positive tactics once more. The 8-1 chance responded favourably when Manning kicked three furlongs from home and had enough petrol in the tank to cross the line half a length ahead of Elm Grove.

Bolger said: "She likes Navan and has won three times here now. She could go to Leopardstown and then I'll have to find out how to mate her."

Imagine If hit the crossbar at Naas on Sunday and the decision to turn him out again swiftly was rewarded in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, but only just. The 6-4 favourite took the lead a furlong from home and had enough in the tank to repel the fast-finishing Elizabeth Browning by the smallest of margins.

Trainer Ger Lyons said: "It was closer than we would have liked but he got it done. He hung and he has problems in his knees so couldn't have it soft enough. When he has conditions in his favour we think he could be very smart."

Lyons had to settle for second in the Navan Welcomes Owners (C & G) Median Auction Maiden when even-money favourite Harbour Beacon couldn't peg back all-the-way winner Perfect Storm. Ana O'Brien dictated terms to suit herself on her father Aidan's 7-1 chance and kept enough up her sleeve to see off the market leader by half a length.

O'Brien jnr said: "I got into a nice easy lead on him and he did it well and galloped to the line well. He keeps pulling out a little bit and he's improving all the time."

Song Of The Sky (13-2) hadn't managed to make the frame in six previous career outings heading into the Arkle Bar Handicap but stepped forward to score by two and a half lengths from Sixtyfiveroses.

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