Two winners at Navan on Tuesday was a real bonus for Jack Kennedy.
Suspended when the meeting was originally scheduled on the previous Sunday, the Dingle star was free to ride at the rearranged fixture and he made the most of the unexpected opportunity as he shared his double with Gordon Elliott. The pair began the session with success for the Pony Sopranos Syndicate-owned Irish Blaze in the opening maiden hurdle, the 9/1 chance getting the better of the Tom Gibney-trained 9/4 shot Hemlock by a length and a half. Farouk D’Alene, in the Gigginstown House Stud colours, completed the brace with a battling success in the Grade 2 BetVictor Ten Up Novice Chase. The 4/11 favourite didn’t jump well but had enough in reserve to see off the Noel Meade-trained 7/2 chance Beacon Edge by three-parts of a length with Elliott saying,
“He’s in both the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase and the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. We will make up our minds when we get over there. There would have to be some soft in the ground.”
