Navan review: Tout takes Troytown treasure
Noel Meade brought Gordon Elliott's winning streak in the Ladbrokes Troytown Chase to an end as Tout Est Permis won the Navan feature on Sunday.
Meade lands Troytown with Tout
Noel Meade brought Gordon Elliott's winning streak in the Ladbrokes Troytown Chase to an end as Tout Est Permis ran out a comprehensive winner in the feature event at Navan.
Elliott fielded 11 of the 25 runners as he went in search of a fifth successive victory in the three-mile race, but he did not even get one horse in the frame as Tout Est Permis (9/1) outstayed his rivals in style.
Ridden by Sean Flanagan, Tout Est Permis moved up to challenge Mr Diablo - who had raced prominently throughout -at the penultimate obstacle as all other contenders began to drop away.
Still only a five-year-old, the grey then found plenty on the run to the last to jump the final obstacle with a couple of lengths in hand, galloping four and a half clear at the line.
Mr Diablo, a 50/1 shot, kept on for second - with Magic Of Light (20/1) a further six and a half lengths away in third.
Meade was last successful in the Troytown with Heist back in 1997 and he was thrilled to land the main prize for owners Gigginstown House Stud.
He said: "Eddie (O'Leary, racing manager for Gigginstown) said to me the other morning 'Are you not going to run the other two in it?' and I said 'No - you can only win it once'.
"I was very sweet on him, and he worked a bomb the other day. I felt if we just kept him together from then until Sunday, he'd win.
"Everything went according to plan, apart from nearly getting wiped out over the far side. He travelled and jumped brilliant. It's the biggest race here, and a huge race to win.
"Sean is a big help to me both at home and on the track. He says things as they are, and is very constructive in his comments. He's riding very well."
Tout Est Permis was previously trained by Mouse Morris and was having just his second start for Meade following victory at Galway last month.
Meade added: "He's a nice horse - we've run him twice, and he's won well both times. The Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown is a possibility, but he'll nearly have top weight in that now."
Gordon Elliott might've run 12 but it's Noel Meade that wins the Troytown at Navan with Tout Est Permis for Gigginstown...pic.twitter.com/VcGmhGdUuq
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) November 25, 2018
Easy Game for Walsh
Ruby Walsh delivered Easy Game with a perfectly-timed run to win a dramatic renewal of the "Monksfield" Novice Hurdle at Navan.
Samcro won the race for Gordon Elliott last year, and there was plenty of pre-race buzz about stablemate Dinons - who was sent off the 3/1 joint-favourite as he sought a sixth successive victory.
Fellow market leader First Approach set out to make all, but he was starting to come under pressure with three to jump as Davy Russell switched out Dinons to challenge.
But fellow Elliott inmate Sometime Soon suffered a horrible-looking fall at that flight, hampering Dinons in the process - and Russell eased his mount down as his chance was gone.
Up front, Choungaya went for home before the last, with Magnium in hot pursuit, but it was Easy Game who challenged latest of all on the outside - and Walsh got him up to win by a neck and a head on the line for Willie Mullins.
Walsh said: "The luck goes with you some days. and against you others.
"We were hoping he could run well, and to pick up the pot was brilliant. He's honest and he jumps and tries for you."
🏇⏱️ It's an Easy Game... for Ruby Walsh pic.twitter.com/S2hMvlq3wl
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) November 25, 2018
Rest Of Navan
Walk To Freedom highlighted a 471/1 treble for Jessica Harrington at Navan as he triumphed at odds of 20/1 in the Proudstown Handicap Hurdle.
The eight-year-old only returned to action earlier this month after an absence of more than 480 days, finishing a distant 10th behind De Name Escapes Me at Naas.
He went toe to toe with that rival again in the closing stage of this extended two-mile-six-furlong event, with De Name Escapes Me sent off the 3/1 joint favourite.
However, Walk To Freedom turned that form around in style - swooping after the last for Robbie Power, who drove out his mount for a two-and-a-half-length victory.
Power said: "All credit to Jessie, because he's been a very difficult horse to keep sound and had so many problems. Fair play to the owners too - their patience has been rewarded, and it's a great pot.
"This horse fell with me at the first twice and went out through the rail one day at Fairyhouse when he was going to win his maiden. He is a horse with a lot of ability.
"He has the option to go back over fences, or something like a Pertemps qualifier would be right up his street."
Walk To Freedom was completing a double for Power and Harrrington after the earlier success of Jetz (4/1).
Grade One-placed as a novice hurdler last term, Jetz had unshipped Power on his chasing bow at this track earlier in November.
However, he made no mistakes in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase - coming home half a length in front of Duca De Thaix, with odds-on favourite Paloma Blue well beaten in fourth.
Power added: "They went a stronger gallop today, and I was flat to the boards leaving the back straight - but it's a stiff two mile and one around here, and his stamina kicked in at the end of the day. He'll be stepping up in trip from now on.
"He was a little bit keen all last year, and we said we'd just run him over two. He's got a high cruising speed, and hopefully it's served a purpose.
"He was a bit cautious with his jumping down the back, but you'd forgive him that after his faux pas the last day. When I wanted him in the straight he was very good."
Barrington Court (7/2) then rounded off Harrington's hat-trick with an impressive success in the Listed Coolmore N.H. Sires Irish EBF Mares INH Flat Race.
Partnered by Mark O'Hare, Barrington Court fairly flew home in the final furlong to win by 10 lengths from Two Shoe Tom.
David Mullins executed a perfect front-running ride aboard Put The Kettle On in the Connolly's Red Mills Irish EBF Mares Auction Maiden Hurdle.
Trained by Henry de Bromhead, the 11/4 chance repelled evens favourite Gypsy Island by a length.
De Bromhead said: "David said he wanted to make it a bit of a test and use her jumping and it all worked well in the end.
"She's only a frame of a mare and will fill out, so we won't be too hard on her. She's had three quick runs, so we might have one more and put her away for the spring."
Gigginstown House Stud won the feature Troytown Chase with Tout Est Permis, and Defi Bleu had got the day off to a good start for the leading owner in the www.navanracecourse.ie Maiden Hurdle.
He triumphed by two and three-quarter lengths for Gordon Elliott and Davy Russell, with Gigginstown horses filling the first five places.
Elliott said: "He's a horse for next year to go chasing, and I'd say he probably even wants three miles at this stage of his life. The further he went the better he got, and he jumped well."
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