Kates Benefit and Davy Russell clear at Navan© Photo Healy Racing
Davy Russell wouldn’t have expected to be riding at Navan on Aintree Grand National day, but Kates Benefit ensured he started his day off in the best possible way.
Having failed to gain medical clearance to ride in Britain after puncturing a lung at the Cheltenham Festival, the Corkman has picked up some good rides on today’s Navan card.
He sent 13/8 favourite Kates Benefit into the lead from flagfall and had his rivals toiling coming to three out in the two mile maiden hurdle.
The pair kept up a relentless gallop and drew clear after the last to score by 15 lengths. Wipe Your Eye on debut took second for Niall Madden and Alan Crowe in the JP McManus colours at 8/1. New River the main rival in the market to Kates Benefit, was back in third under Mark Enright at 7/4, a length and a quarter behind the runner-up.
Ken Budds trains the winner and he said: “She has not been right all year as her bloods were wrong. I didn’t think we would have to wait that long to win a maiden hurdle, but she’s done it very easily.
“It’ll all depend on the weather if she goes to Punchestown as she’d not want it any quicker than that.
"She loves to make the running."
“Her owners Jim and Mary Brown couldn’t be here today as they are at a wedding in South Africa.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
