JOCKEY Sean Flanagan is enjoying a renaissance in the saddle at present and claimed both Grade 2 wins at Navan on Sunday, winning the featured Grade 2 TheTote.com Fortria Chase on Arctic Skipper and the similarly classified Lismullen Hurdle on Snow Falcon.

Flanagan, fresh from his Grade 2 success on Rashaan in another Grade 2 hurdle at Down Royal nine days ago, struck a blow for one of the smaller yards when completing his double on the Vincent Halley-trained Arctic Skipper, who caused a 25/1 upset to beat some of Irish racing’s leading lights.

Arctic Skipper’s previous wins were gained in a point-to-point, maiden hurdle and beginners chase but he improved dramatically on his previous form for this contest. Flanagan produced him to lead at the final fence and, in the end, held off the challenges of Grade 1 winners, the J.P. McManus owned Gilbamboa, by a short-head, and Ballycasey, representing trainer Willie Mullins and owner Rich Ricci, in third.

Halley, who trains Arctic Skipper for his father Laurence, was thrilled with the success and later stated: “That’s fantastic and I’m delighted! It’s great to get a big win like that.

“He’s honest out and Sean (Flanagan) said he has loads of scope. We’d have been happy if he had been in the first three today and he’s obviously improved from last season and it’s fantastic. We’ll make a plan now after this.”

He added: “Fair play to Nicky Kiely who rides him out at home, he’s done great work with him and Andrew (Lynch, injured) who usually rides him - they’ve always had faith in the horse and said he would be a stronger horse this year.”

DOUBLE

Flanagan failed to win a race of note between his 2010 Thyestes Chase victory on Whinstone Boy and his 2016 Grade 2 Boyne Hurdle success on Snow Falcon and it was the latter Noel Meade-trained gelding who helped the jockey to another big race success in the Lismullen Hurdle.

Snow Falcon (5/1) was in pursuit of leader De Plotting Shed after the second last flight when Flanagan needed to switch the son of Presenting right before challenging the leader. On the run-in, Snow Falcon finished well to edge ahead in the closing stages for a three and a quarter-length win.

Winning trainer Noel Meade commented: “It’s about the jumping - he jumped today, which is the first time he did.

“I think he’ll be better over three miles so we have the race at Christmas (at Leopardstown) to look at, I might have a look and see what is in England as well and it also depends what turns up in the Hattons Grace whether he’ll run or not in that.

“He’s had a lot of trouble with his back and has all sorts of stuff done to it. Last year he had a little op on it and this year it’s been perfect. He also had a stress crack last year after he won here and that’s why he didn’t run for the rest of the season but he’s still a young horse.”

Meade added: “The girl that looks after him, Emma (Connelly), certainly deserves a mention - he’s like a little dog with her. She pulls him out in the morning and he trots up the yard alongside her. She says ‘come on Snowy’ and he stops, stands, whatever she wants. It’s unbelievable, I’ve never seen anything like it!”

The race was also set to feature Jer’s Girl but last season’s Grade 1 winning novice hurdler was a late withdrawal on veterinary advice.

THE other graded race on the card was the Grade 2 For Auction Novice Hurdle, which was won by the Gordon Elliott-trained, Ruby Walsh partnered Labaik (11/4), who showed great determination to forge to the front on the run-in, for one and three-quarter length win over Mick Jazz.

Labaik had shown wayward tendencies when refusing to race from starting stalls in the past and following the win Elliott stated: “He’s a grand horse but is a bit of a monkey.

“Ruby said across the top he thought he was half not going anywhere but he pulled him out at the back of the second last and picked up and flew. Looking at that I’d say he’ll get further and he’s in the Royal Bond Hurdle.”

Racing began with a J.P. McManus-owned winner of the St Johann Ski Resort Tirol Handicap Hurdle with That’s A Wrap (13/8f), under Mark Walsh, following up his recent Galway win for trainer Tom Mullins.

Following the win Mullins said: “I was a little worried that we were coming back a bit quick from Galway but that was the only little worry I had.

“I’d say he’ll go for another handicap hurdle next but you probably won’t see him now until Christmas or close to it and we won’t be too hard on him.

“He’ll stay handicapping until we decide to go chasing with him and we’ll see after Christmas if he’ll go chasing.”

Later in the afternoon, McManus and retained jockey Walsh were out of luck with Gilgamboa in the Fortria Chase but the pair combined for doubles each when Anibale Fly (7/2) landed the Crystalski.ie EBF Beginners Chase, on fences debut.

The Tony Martin-trained gelding looked to be travelling well through the race and in the end responded well to beat off the challenge of Cheltenham festival winner Martello Tower, by three-parts of a length.

Martin later said: “It was very workmanlike - he had plenty done on the flat and schooling and that showed.

“Before we ever ran him, we had the option of point-to-pointing so he had plenty of schooling in him and lucky enough it showed.”

“It was grand to get it and great that he jumped well and hopefully he has a bit of a future over fences but I wouldn’t be getting too excited after only scrambling home,” he added.

The Meath Farm Machinery Handicap Hurdle was won by the Colin McBratney-trained The Jazz Singer (8/1), who was following up September’s course success, again under jockey Paul Townend.

Former champion jockey Townend came in for strong praise from McBratney following the race, as the Galway Plate-winning trainer said: “Paul gave him a great ride - top class.

“He likes it around here. I ran him in Punchestown over two miles because Paul (Townend) thought the previous day here he didn’t jump slick enough for a handicap. He also thought a run over a shorter distance wouldn’t do him any harm to sharpen his jumping and he was brilliant today, travelled away and arrived at the right time.

“I don’t know whether he’ll go on proper winter ground but we’ll keep tipping away until we find out.

“The owner Clare Moore is from England and I’ve just sold him to her in the past two weeks. She couldn’t get here today but she’ll be well pleased.”

The concluding Kevin Bell Trust (Pro-Am) Bumper was won by Jessica Harrington’s Magic Of Light, who made virtually all to win under the trainer’s daughter Kate Harrington, who also owns the winning mare.

The daughter of Flemensfirth showed a willing attitude in the closing stages and in the end proved two lengths too strong for Minella Fair.

Kate Harrington later said: “I’m delighted with her and she’s a tough mare.

“Mark Fahey had her last year for me when we thought she was nice and he took her to go point-to-pointing. She slipped on take-off and hurt herself very badly in her point-to-point run (when pulled-up) and credit to the vets in Cork they saved her life.“She is a fabulous mare and we’ve always thought a lot of her. She’ll come back here for the mares’ listed race and is also for sale if anyone wants to buy her - I think she’s a proper filly.”

ACTING STEWARDS T. Hunt, L. Reynolds, P. Law, P. Dunican, L. Walsh.

HORSE TO FOLLOW MARTELLO TOWER (M Mullins): He is a high-class staying hurdler and ran well when second on his chase debut over an inadequate 2m 1f trip. He should take beating when upped in trip next time.