Madmansgame goes on in the closing stages© Photo Healy Racing
Madmansgame won a dash to the line in Navan's bumper for Willie and Patrick Mullins.
The 4/11 favourite was well touted for this first step on racecourse turf having won a Boulta point-to-point in December for Donnchadh Doyle.
He travelled smoothly but was stalked towards the business end by second-favourite Landrake The pursuer took aim at him inside the final furlong and almost got on terms but Patrick Mullins asked the leader to go and win his race and he duly did by three parts of a length.
Landrake had to settle for second at 4/1 and was a length and a quarter in front of Gardner (18/1 from a morning price of 33/1).
Willie Mullins said:- “He's a real three-mile chaser, an old-fashioned chaser.
“He's done some nice work at home but he was still very green there today and I think he'll learn a lot from that.
“Patrick thought he was very idle in front, and green, and when the other horses came to his hindquarters he picked up again and he thought he had plenty in reserve.
“It's a big open track and going wide too just showed how green he was. We're very happy that he made a winning debut.
“I think he's booked his ticket for Cheltenham.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
