Glen has Navan Quest Glenquest makes a familiar trip from trainer Terence O’Brien’s Carrigtwohill base in Co. Cork up to Navan on Saturday for the Newgrange Veterans Handicap Chase. The Turtle Island gelding recorded one of his three career victories there when beating Benefit Night over course and distance back in December 2009, and the pair will have their own reunion in this three-mile event over four years later. O’Brien’s charge has shown a real liking for the three miles at the Co. Meath venue by making the frame twice since in the valuable Troytown Chase, finishing less than a length off Jack The Bus in 2010 and third to Tofino Bay two years later. The Cork handler was worried about the form of the gelding earlier this season before he came right back to his best at Leopardstown in January. “We were very disappointed early in the season as he just wasn’t showing us anything at all, and his first decent run was when he was second in Limerick at Christmas,” said O’Brien before adding, “That gave us hope and his run in the Leopardstown Chase was nearly a career best off a mark of 123 and he was beaten less than six lengths. “He’s not as good over hurdles as he was but I suppose being an 11-year-old that’s to be expected. If he reproduces his Leopardstown form he should have a great chance. He seems well in himself and he’s in good form. “He’s been placed twice in the Troytown so he likes it around Navan, and he also won a three miles handicap chase around there. Adrian (Heskin) rides out for me a bit and I like to put him up when I can. He rode him when he was second at Limerick and goes well for him.” Benefit Night is very much in the veteran category now at the tender age of 14, and greater threats are likely to be posed in this 11-runner line-up by Hillman and Sole Witness. The latter is also a course winner and will have no stamina concerns having beaten all bar Folsom Blue in the three and a half miles Grand National Trial at Punchestown last time.
