Answer To Kayf won the Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan | report and replay

Gordon Elliott has dominated this Grade 3 contest over three miles with six winners in the last decade, including three of the last four, but after an earlier winner had expressed doubts about the strength of his challenge.

Ultimately Elliott was proved right as Pied Piper proved best of his runners in fifth, never really laying down a threat to the principals, leaving it to Gavin Cromwell to numerically dominate the result with Yeah Man (20/1) finishing second and Will The Wise (7/1) fourth.

None could master Answer To Kayf though.

The nine-year-old, fourth at the Cheltenham Festival in 2024, won once in his first season over fences last term, on his handicap debut, but had given an indication of what might lie await over staying trips when sixth over just shy of four miles in May having done most of his racing over intermediate trips.

Answer To Kayf was always prominent but lost his position after making a mistake four from home.

Shinnick, however, kept his cool and kept his mount together and Answer To Kayf went to the last with Dunboyne and Yeah Man for company. He safely negotiated that obstacle and galloped on to win by two and a quarter lengths and the same.

O'Brien told Racing TV: "I couldn't be anymore thrilled with him.

"When I watched it I thought he was running very free at the start. The plan was to jump out and be in the first three or four, when I saw him out in front and he was keen the whole way and then when he was passed down the back straight, I was saying 'this is over now' but I wasn't hugely disappointed, he'd run too free and was running a decent enough race up to that point.

"Then I kept watching and thought we might be in the first four or five. Then up the home straight, I thought we might get third and I couldn't believe when he jumped the last in front.

"These conditions suit him but it's fantastic, you dream of these days."

Shinnick added: "That was the plan when we brought him back in this summer and it's great when a plan works out.

"He's put me on the map, a lot of people know me through him.

"The speed just increased and he got a bit deep into a few, they were running away from the fourth last but, in fairness, he held his position and I just wanted to save a bit and have a crack at the last and sail away from there; thankfully it worked out, so delighted.

"There definitely is [more left in the tank] but the main thing is when the ground is heavy he's a different horse. He has good form on good ground but he's a bonus on soft ground."

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