SIZING Pottsie revelled in the testing conditions at Navan last Saturday to claim Grade 2 glory in the Webster Cup Chase.

The Jessica Harrington-trained gelding recorded his first win since December 2020 when ploughing through the mud in the two-miler. Robbie Power produced his mount to challenge three from home and the 11/2 shot travelled best in the lead down to the penultimate fence. He was asked to go on before the last and the Kapgarde gelding galloped on strongly in the closing stages to hold the late charge of 13/8 favourite Master McShee.

Power said afterwards: “He’s been a fantastic servant for connections (Ann & Alan Potts Limited) but that ground is vital to him. Even yielding to soft ground is no use to him, he has to have proper heavy ground.

“I heard the other horse coming but I wasn’t stopping going to the line. He does stay further, he stays two and a half (miles) and a bit more than that even.”

Power recorded a double on the card having also landed the opening maiden hurdle on Bodhisattva for Gordon Elliott.

The Robcour-owned gelding went to post a 4/6 shot in the two-miler and saw off the attentions of Attaboyarchie from the last to record a two-and-a-quarter-length win.

“He’s a big-galloping horse. It probably wasn’t the strongest race but it’s grand he won,” said Elliott. “He jumped well and will make a three-mile chaser someday.”

In-form Elliott

Elliott also landed the second division of the Mongey Communications Maiden Hurdle with another short-priced favourite in Dartington.

The 30/100 shot was produced to lead at the second last by Davy Russell and despite a guessy leap at the final flight he went on to beat stablemate General Maximum by two lengths.

“Davy said he hated the ground every bit of the way. He took a bit of a chance at the last but sure we had the second so we weren’t too bad!” said Elliott, who trains the winner for Ray Stokes.

Elliott completed a treble in the concluding bumper when Santonito secured a deserved success after three runner-up efforts.

Jamie Codd drove his mount into a narrow lead inside the final furlong and the Coastal Path gelding just held on from fellow 6/4 joint favourite Don Chalant at the line.

The stewards had a look after the winner edged left a bit after hitting the front but the result was unaffected.

IT was a perfect result for Tom Gibney in the €60,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Handicap Chase with Velvet Elvis taking the lion’s share ahead of stablemate Regina Dracones.

Having failed to make much impression in Grade 3 company at the track just a week previously Velvet Elvis ran out a convincing winner on his first start in handicap company over fences.

Darragh O’Keeffe’s mount led three from home in the three-miler and kicked clear after the penultimate fence to record a four-and-a-quarter-length win at odds of 17/2.

“We’re not a big stable and it was breaking my heart to have to run the two of them in the same race but conditions were absolutely made for both of them,” said Gibney.

“It’s great for me to get that for Derek (Kierans) as he’s put more expensive horses into me than anybody. He spends the money so it’s great to be able to get a result for men like that.”

Dont Go Yet continued Eddie Cawley’s good form at this track by winning the Meath Farm Machinery Handicap Chase later on the card.

Cawley’s charge had unseated at the first on his initial outing in handicap company over fences but it was plain sailing this time as he led before the last and posted a convincing five-and-a-half-length win under Keith Donoghue.

PAUL Nolan is enjoying a fine season and Daily Present could be set for bigger things after a fine performance in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Hurdle.

The Mahler gelding went to post as the 7/4 favourite in the two-mile–six-furlong contest and having disputed early, he settled behind front-runner Digby from the sixth flight.

Sean O’Keeffe’s mount made a mistake when coming to lead at the second last but had plenty in the tank when joined by market rival Bronn before the final flight, picking up well on the run-in for a length-and-a-quarter win.

“When Paul (Townend) came to him he went away from him,” Nolan said. “Sean thinks he’s a proper one and I hope he’s right. He has changed hands and that’s his first run for them (DKC Partnership), it was sort of a pressure day so thankfully he won.

“I think he’s a horse that could improve, he’s a very slim sort of horse and is just strengthened a bit more and he’s only five years old.”

When asked if he could consider the three-mile Grade 1 novice at Punchestown he added: “You would, we don’t have too many to run in the Grade 1s but we’ll have to think about it. It’s a nice break from now to then, we could freshen him up and bring him back for then.”

Mandarin Monarch went off a 22/1 shot on his return to action in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle and trainer Andrew McNamara admitted it was a ‘pleasant surprise’ to see him win.

The Manduro gelding led after the third last, under Dillon Maxwell, and galloped on strongly in the closing stages to record a five-length success.