Handani gets his head in front in the finale Handani (13/8) gave favourite backers another winner in the lucky last as he streaked clear in the Lynn Lodge Stud Maiden at Navan over a mile and a quarter. The Aga Khan gelding was placed in each of his first three starts and was always close to the pace in this contest under Chris Hayes. Dermot Weld's charge swept into the lead two furlongs out and went clear under a right-hand drive from Hayes. The three-year-old kept up the gallop to beat the two well-backed Newton Anner Stud rivals into second and third, respectively. The aforementioned rivals were Sakoku (8/1 — 13/2), beaten three and a quarter lengths, and Royal Bones (7/2 — 2/1), who was beaten a further half-length. "He set the standard and he deserved to win," said Weld. "He has been very consistent every time he has run. "He did (roll home professionally today), but he was very professional at the Curragh the other day when he got beaten half a length and a head - and tried awful hard. "He got his reward today - probably a slightly weaker race and he did the same battling performance. I'm very happy with him. "We will move him through the grades slowly." Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
