MAAREK rolled back the years to record his 14th career win, and first since landing the Beverley Bullet over two years ago, when defying top-weight in the Like Navan On Facebook Handicap.
The veteran sprinter, who enjoyed his finest hour when landing the Abbaye at Longchamp in 2013, attracted some support on track from 8/1 into 6/1 and, typically, came from off the pace under Killian Hennessy to beat Kupa River by half a length.
Delighted winning trainer Evanna McCutcheon said: “He’s been running well all year, although I think the handicapper was hard on him the last day (raised 7lb to a mark of 98). He’s a tough old soldier, and it’s nice to get to the end of the year with a run like that.
“It’s just a matter of getting the right ground and track, and Killian gave him a great ride. He buried me on Monday so he still has all his spark, and will definitely be back next year (as an 11-year-old).”
Doonard Prince is an equally treasured sprinter by connections albeit at a lower grade, and recorded his eighth victory in the www.navanracecourse.ie Handicap. After the 9/2 joint favourite got up on the line to deny Nora Batt by a nose under Killian Leonard, trainer Ross O’Sullivan said: “It’s very hard to find those type of horses. Navan, Naas and the Curragh all suit him. The five today was a bit short but the heavy ground made it enough of a test.”
He added: “He’s been a model of consistency and got 4lb for finishing second the last day so was off 69 today which is about his peak. John (Bowden, owner) had three horses with me before him and couldn’t get one to finish any closer than mid-division. Then this fella came along and he’s been knocking great sport out of him for the last three or four years. He’s eight but age doesn’t seem to matter to those sprinters.”
Colin Keane remained five ahead (92-87) of Pat Smullen in the battle for the flat jockeys’ title after they rode a winner apiece. Il Piccolo Grande ended a losing run stretching back 12 races when landing a touch (16/1-9/1) in the Arkle Bar Handicap, with Keane producing him from off the pace on the outer for an ultimately easy success.
Winning trainer Ger Lyons said: “He works really well at home, and David Spratt (who heads up Gaelic Thoroughbreds) has joked all summer that this lad will win at some stage. It’s really down to the way Colin is riding and we had to get into the horses head. You need to arrive late and wide, and don’t give him any excuse to lie down.”
Smullen was earlier on the mark when The Broghie Man, who only recently joined Adrian Keatley from fellow Curragh trainer Brendan Duke but remains in the ownership of JA Broghies Ireland Limited, relished the drop back to the minimum trip to rout his eight rivals in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
“I just fed him for a week and the only thing I did was stick a tongue tie on him,” said Keatley of the well-backed 5/2 chance before adding, “In fairness to Brendan he’d a suspicion that he rattled a bit the last day. He handled the ground, and the dam is by Dutch Art so I didn’t mind dropping him back to five.”
The day couldn’t have started much worse for Gordon Elliott losing star mare Fayonagh with a fatal injury on the gallops but it finished on a much brighter note as Synopsis, owned in partnership by the aforementioned Spratt and Kevin McMunigal, took the featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap.
Gary Carroll oozed confidence on the 12/1 shot who was driven out to lead inside the final furlong for a length and a half verdict over Two For Tea. “It’s nice to get her back on track and she should win over hurdles during the winter. She likes a bit of soft ground,” said the Longwood trainer.
A patient approach paid dividends for Joseph O’Brien as Escamillo returned from a five-month break to land a gamble in the Navan Welcomes Owners (C & G) Median Auction Maiden. Available at 20’s earlier in the day and sent off a 5/1 shot, the son of Bated Breath drew clear from over a furlong to beat Stoic Soul by an impressive eight lengths.
“We liked him early on in the year but he ran bad in Leopardstown. We gave him time and he’s come back and won nicely.
“He’s one to look forward to next year and should stay further as he’s out of a Montjeu mare, and usually a two-year-old that gets a mile in Navan will get a bit further,” said O’Brien, who trains the colt for renowned vet Demi O’Byrne.
Talented jump jockey Jonathan Moore partnered his first winner under flat rules when Art Of Security (2/1jtfav) held on well under pressure to beat Tale Of Woe by three-quarters of a length in the one-mile, five-furlong Come Racing Again Sunday 12th November Maiden.
“He loves soft ground and it was all about staying. The plan is to go to Down Royal for a two-mile handicap hurdle next week.
“He wasn’t really firing in the spring but he worked very well the other day and seems to have come back in after the break a sweeter, nicer horse,” said Noel Meade, who trains the seven-year-old for Munnelly Support Services Ltd.
Whip ban
KILLIAN Hennessy was given a two-day ban for using his whip with excessive frequency when successful on Maarek.
ACTING STEWARDS
P. Reynolds, Ms V. Cooper, Dr J.F. Gillespie, P. McCarten, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
ESCAMILLO (J. O’Brien): He looked above average when taking the mile maiden in fine style, and could make an impact at stakes level next year.