ON a superb day for owner J.P. McManus and his retained jockey, Mark Walsh, the first of their four winners at Navan last Friday was the Kevin Ross Bloodstock purchase, The Devilscoachman, who is trained by Noel Meade.

The Co Antrim-based agency gave Ballybin Stud €27,000 for the Elusive Pimpernel gelding at the September Yearling Sale at Tattersalls Ireland in 2017. He made his first appearance a winning one when landing a four-year-old bumper at Naas in early January last year and was then put away until scoring on his hurdling debut at Cork in November.