Redclue and Keith Donoghue are clear in Navan© Photo Healy Racing
Top-weight Redclue put his rivals to the sword in impressive fashion in the two mile seven handicap hurdle.
The six-year-old gelding eased his way to the front on the long run to the third last. He travelled powerfully for Keith Donoghue and moved clear after jumping that flight.
Donoghue merely had to steer a path home as his mount cruised in by 11 lengths at 10/1. Crowded Room (8/1), on his first run for 344 days, kept on for second without troubling the winner while 20/1 shot Kansas City Chief came in a further three lengths back in third.
Keith Donoghue said: "He did it well. I knew the trip would suit him. We were a bit afraid of the ground [yielding, good to yielding in places] but he handled it well. He has been running in competitive races and I knew today coming back into his own grade he would have a good chance.
"He normally never travels and he was getting stronger turning into the straight. I was just hoping nothing would do me for toe but he kept going and he did it easy.
"He'll got through soft ground I'd say, he just wouldn't want proper heavy ground."
Trainer Gillian O'Callaghan added: "His form figures may not have looked that great but he was running in some competitive handicaps and he was back in his own grade today.
"He jumped brilliant and Keith knows him well. He's had a long season and we may wait now for the spring. He won't run on heavy ground over the winter."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
