THE decision to eschew a more low-key assignment on the card and instead head for the riches of the €50,000 Navan Handicap Hurdle paid maximum dividends for the Margaret Mullins-trained Agusta Gold who claimed a precious blacktype success in the day’s feature.

The daughter of Gold Well, who carries the colours of Kieran Leavy, had the option of an 80-109 rated handicap on the card but instead connections opted to take their chance in the two and a half miles Grade B handicap, despite being a couple of pounds wrong at the weights. As he looked to continue a fine season that sees him lying just outside the top four in the jockeys’ championship, Danny Mullins had the Downpatrick maiden hurdle winner in the front rank from the entrance to the straight. The 7/1 chance then saw off Chatham Street Lad before the last and she went on to defeat that rival by a length and three quarters.

“She’s a smashing mare and, when the top few came out, we said we’d take our chance rather than in the other handicap,” said the winning trainer, who was notching up her second €50,000 handicap hurdle success in as many months at this track. “She’s a galloper and a good stayer, just like Salty Boy (stablemate who won here before Christmas). All being well, she will go chasing next season but we’ll keep her to this for now and we’ll see what there is for her in about three weeks.”

ELLIOTT DOUBLE

Gordon Elliott notched up a double which began with a one-two in the two miles novice hurdle for horses rated 135 or less. The trainer’s Galvin made it four wins from as many starts to belie his position as the 5/1 outsider of the four-runner field. The Ronnie Bartlett-owned and Davy Russell-ridden son of Gold Well improved to head Minella Times shortly after two out and he then flew over the last hurdle which enabled him to keep his chasing stablemate, Whoshotthesheriff, at bay. Galvin finished with five lengths to spare on his first start since landing a Perth novice hurdle in August.

“He’s a nice horse who is improving and I think he can improve again,” said Elliott. “He could go to the good Musselburgh meeting on February 3rd for a Grade 2 novice hurdle, as it would suit Ronnie.”

Elliott then struck in the two and a half miles maiden hurdle where Moratorium struck at 14/1. The Gigginstown-owned son of Presenting did win a bumper earlier this season but came here off maiden hurdle defeats at Thurles and Tramore. Jack Kennedy’s mount raised his game in fine style though and looked to relish every yard of this trip with the promise that he could do better over three miles. Moratorium did all his best work over the last half mile and he moved ahead at the last before holding Diol Ker by three parts of a length. The 4/6 favourite Face The Facts had to settle for fifth.

“He’s been running a smaller tracks and getting beaten but he enjoyed the galloping track and he stays very well. He’s a nice staying type for fences next season,” commented Elliott.

FIRST WINNER

Larquebuse (4/5) was expected to give Elliott a treble in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares (Pro/Am) Flat Race but instead Heaven Help Us came from out of the clouds to provide jockey Niall Prendergast with his first winner. The daughter of Yeats, who is owned, trained and bred by noted greyhound handler Paul Hennessy, was beaten on her first two starts but did show ability on both occasions and didn’t go ignored at 11/1. For her part, Larquebuse showed a good attitude to subdue a couple of rivals in the straight but, inside the last 100 yards, she had no answer to Heaven Help Us who came from well back turning in to score by three parts of a length.

“I bred her and reared her and she’s a dote. Danny Mullins rode her in a schooling bumper last week and told us she’d be placed and we were hoping she might be placed today,” reported Hennessy, whose previous winner came courtesy of this one’s half-sister Thywillbedone at Punchestown in November 2015. “Niall is a wonderful young man from Tipperary who comes in and rides her out for me every morning.”

Tom Taaffe’s Goose Man bounced back from a first fence fall in the Paddy Power Chase to take advantage of a hurdles mark some 30lb lower than the one he holds over fences in the 80-109 rated handicap hurdle.

The 7/2 favourite was going notably well in the front rank for Andrew Lynch with three to jump and he knuckled down well under pressure from the last to the line to defeat the tenacious Bothar Dubh by a neck.

“I had nowhere else to run as he wasn’t going to get into the Thyestes,” reported Taaffe, who was recording his first victory of the season.

“I’d like the way he jumped and this gives us plenty of options with him now. He was bought to be a National horse some day and that dream is still alive.”

Cheltenham Festival winning trainer Paul Gilligan enjoyed a welcome change of fortune as Nellie Pledge (5/1), who was ridden by his son Liam and owned by his wife Natalie, made all the running in the 80-102 rated handicap chase over three miles.

The seven-year-old cruised to a decidedly comfortable nine lengths triumph over Duke Cass to give Gilligan his first winner since he returned from an 18 months suspension in November.

“All credit goes to my kids because they ride her out and, without them, we wouldn’t be able to continue, the way things have gone,” reflected the trainer. “On some of her old form I gave her a chance but you never know where you are when you don’t have a lot of runners.”

A tilt at the €100,000 BoyleSports Grand National Trial at Punchestown is the aim for Ah Littleluck (7/2) who returned from a break of 110 days to pick up the three miles beginners chase for Tom Gibney and David Mullins. The 124-rated nine-year-old, who is owned by Kevin Haigney, was holding every chance when the 5/4 favourite Westland Row exited at the second last. At Littleluck then began to ease clear for a nine and a half lengths victory over Frankly All Talk.

“I thought that he might need the run but the race cut up and we got all the luck we needed, which doesn’t always happen,” reflected Gibney. “We’re keen to test him over an extreme distance, so hopefully he will get into the Grand National Trial at Punchestown now.”

Whip ban

SEAN Flanagan picked up a one-day whip ban for his efforts on Stoneford, third in the beginners chase.

HORSE TO FOLLOW:

PAPAL PEARL

(Mrs J. Harrington): This daughter of Doyen made a pleasing debut to finish third in the bumper. She travelled through the race notably well before giving best to two rivals with previous experience. She should find a mares’ bumper well within her grasp.

ACTING STEWARDS:

R. Dore, D. McCorkell,

P. Caffery, S. Collins,

L. Walsh