THE victory of Found A Fifty in the Grade 2 Bar One Racing Fortria Chase proved the highlight of a Gordon Elliott treble at Navan on Monday, the card rescheduled from a sodden Saturday.

Ridden by Jack Kennedy, the Bective Stud-owned 5/2 chance benefited from an uncharacteristically poor round of jumping by favourite Dinoblue to score by five lengths. The eight-year-old was winning the race for the second year in a row, having beaten Solness by a neck 12 months ago.

Elliott said: “Two miles on that ground is right up his alley, and probably two and a half miles on better ground. It was a good performance.

“Noel (Moran) is hitting the crossbar all weekend, so it is great to get a winner for him.

“He jumped brilliant - everything bar the second-last, he was very good.”

Perfect hurdle bow

Classical Creek had initiated the three-timer when making all under Kennedy to land the opening Kilberry Pub and Kitchen Maiden Hurdle.

Sent off 4/9 favourite, the Gigginstown House Stud-owned five-year-old led from flag fall and asserted between the final two flights, staying on strongly to beat Fillyoureye by eight lengths.

“He’s a nice horse,” Elliott said. “It wasn’t ideal making the running. Jack said he was very idle in front and he would be way better with a lead, but he showed a good attitude and you would be very happy.

“We’ll look at Christmas for him all being well. He’s a stayer, he’ll definitely stay further. You’ll probably see him stepping up to three miles at some stage.”

Headgear

James Smith made virtually all on Themanintheboots to complete the middle leg in the Lisadell Equine Hospital 110 Series Final Handicap Hurdle.

The Kelly Family Syndicate-owned 10/1 chance asserted on the run to the last, keeping on strongly to score by seven lengths.

Elliott reported: “We entered him in an online sale in two weeks’ time. He has been a bit hot and cold.

“We said we would try blinkers on him once before we sell him, and look what happened. I think he will have to stay for another while!”

Shinnick is Mustard on ‘king of the castle’

HAVING landed the Troytown Chase at the same track the previous afternoon, jockey John Shinnick won another big pot when partnering Colonel Mustard to a surprise victory in the Grade 2 Railway Bar Lismullen Hurdle.

Sent off 12/1, the Lorna Fowler-trained veteran stayed on well from off the pace to score by two and three-quarter lengths for owners Mrs A Frost, P G Davies and R H Fowler.

Lorna Fowler said: “He has been minded well through the years. He gets looked after like a king at home - he’s in a small yard, so he is the king of the castle!

“He’s the best, he is just fabulous! The plan is to go for the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.”

Younger star

Last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Kopek Des Bordes made an impressive transition to fences when easily landing the Pat Sheils Memorial Irish EBF Beginners Chase in the colours of Monabeg Investments Limited.

Tracking Anotherway in the early stages, the 2/9 favourite led under Paul Townend before halfway and went clear from the back of the penultimate fence, drawing right away to win by 13 lengths.

“Very pleased with that,” Willie Mullins said. “He has to learn and get experience, and he got a fair bit today. When he sees a fence, he just wants to go and jump it. He’s very keen in that respect. As he goes up in grade, the pace will get faster and hotter. I think it will be all to his benefit.”

When asked if he will consider Christmas (Leopardstown - St Stephen’s Day), Dublin Racing Festival, and Cheltenham, Mullins replied: “That would look a sort of a plan at this minute - that will be Route ‘A’ anyway.”

THE Declan Queally-trained I’ll Sort That made it three from three this season when rallying close home to land the Grade 3 Bar One Racing For Auction Novice Hurdle. Making most under the trainer’s son and namesake, the 6/4 favourite was headed at the last but rallied well on the run-in to prevail by three quarters of a length for owner David Needham.

Queally Jnr said: “I had a fair idea at the back of the last that my fella would stay going. Halfway up the run-in, I knew I was going to get there and actually didn’t use my whip after the last at all.”

When asked if he could go for the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse, he replied: “No, definitely not. Have to give the horse a week in the field and let him gather himself then start back exercising him again. He’ll probably get an entry in Leopardstown in the Grade 1 on the second day (over Christmas), and he’ll get an entry in the [Grade 1] Lawlor’s of Naas.”

Perfect conditions

Balko d’Ange landed a second career win when proving far too strong for his opponents in the Hotel Park St Johann In Tirol Austria Handicap Hurdle. Brian Hayes, who was always travelling strongly on the Patricia Hogan-owned 4/1 joint-favourite, led approaching the final flight and powered away to win by three and a half lengths.

Trainer Philip Fenton said: “His best form is on soft to heavy ground. I was delighted the way he travelled, and he jumped well. I think Brian timed it right.”

On future plans, Fenton added: “I’d say around Christmas time.”

Oh My Word!

The Tom Cleary-trained Oh My Word upset some better-fancied rivals when making a winning debut under Tommy Halford in the Bar One Racing ‘Extra Place Races Daily’ (Pro/Am) Flat Race. The Seamus Ross-owned gelding belied odds of 33/1 to score by a length and a quarter.

“We thought he should run well, we had him away schooling a couple of times and he did it quite well,” Cleary said. “I thought coming here, if he got a place he would be doing very well. He seems a very straightforward horse to do anything with. You’d have to like that about him.”