Hms Seahorse at the winning post© Photo Healy Racing
The classy Hms Seahorse (15/2) returned from an almost four-month absence to plunder the featured Grade B Navan Handicap Hurdle under Sean O'Keeffe.
This was the first time the five-year-old son of Galileo had tackled the two and a half mile trip and he proved strong at the finish.
He raced in touch for O'Keeffe and the pair closed racing to the last. O'Keeffe drove him past Lucky Max in the closing stages and his mount found plenty to draw two and a quarter lengths clear of Felix Desjy (25/1). Rebel Ivy (12/1) was a neck back in third at the favourite Lucky Max weakened to fourth.
“He gave him a brilliant ride. Sean said he came for him every time he asked him,” said trainer Paul Nolan.
“He needed to jump the last and he was long at it. He seems to be jumping far better since he was gelded.
“In Galway he jumped poorly when he was odds-on favourite and the jumping just didn't work.
“He's a bit more clinical now, he'd never go long before, and he was very good today.
“We might look at the Coral Cup with him. That's where the lads would love to go.
“We'd have to look at a Pertemps qualifier as well, it would be great to have more options, but that might be tight enough.”
Hms Seahorse won the valuable Ragusa Handicap at the Curragh last summer. Prior to that he was third in a Grade 1 four-year-old hurdle at Punchestown and fourth in the Grade 3 Boodles at Cheltenham.
Paddy Power gave Hms Seahorse a first show of 12/1 for the Coral Cup. He was also given a first show of 20/1 for the Martin Pipe and County Hurdle.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
