Collaborative appreciates step up in trip Collaborative opened his account at the ninth attempt when taking the Ardmulchan Handicap Hurdle for Oliver McKiernan and Phillip Enright at Navan. Jonny Mansie set a strong pace on this 2m4f event but was reeled in early in the straight. Collaborative travelled well to head Betty Dutton before the last but needed to be driven right out by Enright on the run-in to beat that rival by two and a quarter lengths. The pair pulled a further seven lengths clear of Lakota Blue in third. McKiernan said, "It (trip) did suit him. "He has no real experience over hurdles and I didn't think he finished too strong when third in Limerick over Christmas, but Phillip was stronger on him. He said over two and a half miles the horse would give a better account of himself today, and he was right. "This race came up at a time that kind of suited, so that was it really. "He is a nice horse and he is a good, big horse with lots of size and scope. If he stays sound, he should jump a fence someday. "We didn't think much after today - just get him out today and see did he improve from Limerick, and he did, so that's good." Additional reporting by Michael Graham
