17:30 Well that’s it from Navan. We will bring you the result of the final race in the results section later on.
Our next live coverage is from Ascot on Saturday. Until then a very good evening from Ireland.
In case you are wondering the geese are now on the lake.
17:20 Well Aiden O’Brien may well have had a stinker of a day at Longchamp on Sunday but he has gained some recompense today as Washington Irving was the third leg of a treble for him here at Navan. Having said that he was sent off the 4/9 favourite.
The win was a brave front running performance but it wasn’t that easy as he was made to work for the win by Timari, trained by John Oxx and sent out in the Aga Khan’s colours. Apprentice Sean Levey, also completing a treble, worked hard to keep the colt to his task - I'm sure Mr Levey has a great future ahead of him.
Indeed a furlong from home it looked as though Timari wad going to cause a major upset, but the winner found some extra reserves and held on by half a length.
The pair finished eight lengths clear of the third placed Tapioca.
16:55 In all the years I have been going racing I thought I had seen everything. The runners were all loaded for the 4:45 race but the stall did not open. A quick look through the bins saw the starter and the stalls crew all looking down the back straight and showing no sign of setting the runners off.
A scan with the binoculars soon showed the reason for the delay – a goose with four goslings were ambling across the course. A maintenance vehicle was dispatched to shoo the trespassers off the course but by the time he had arrived the family had strolled off the track and the runners were released.
I would like to give you a blow by blow account of the race but I was so distracted by the welfare of the geese I missed most of the race.
When I remembered why I was here and I caught up with the runners they were pretty well bunched approaching the furlong marker. I was just in time to see Shinkansen take a decisive lead, which he held onto to record a 2½ length victory.
There was a tight battle for second with Tin Town Boy just getting the better of Rayina by a head with Ring Hill 3½ lengths further back in fourth.
16:40 Never mind the stewards inquiry into the last race, they should hold an inquiry into the best dressed lady competition. Now I am no fashion expert but how did the winner win that one? The runner-up was robbed.
16:29 The result stands.
16:26 We are up to a mile and a quarter for the next three races and the first of then turned out to be a war of attrition in the final stages.
First past the post was Aiden O’Brien’s New Zealand, runner-up in the Irish St Ledger.
Making a front running performance the colt was unchallenged until the final furlong.
He was then joined by Via Galilei and Daasij who had been battling for second place throughout.
In the final half furlong all there were battling away and it could have been anyones race but the O’Brien runner got his head in front by hald a length, with his half-brother Via Galilei in second a head ahead of Daasij with the late running Blues In Cee also trying to get in on the action.
The stewards are taking a look at the finish as the leaders were well bunched and there may well have been a coming together.
15:55 Another two year old maiden over a mile and this time the theory in the last race was overturned and a newcomer took the race and it was an O’Brien newcomer as well in the shape of Malibu Bay.
Jim Bolger’s Ard Na Greine had been with the pace from the start and then took a lead on the field two out. Having a few lengths on the field the Galileo colt looked to have the race. Then Malibu Bay was produced and was soon upsides the long time leader.
Malibu Bay edged in front just inside the furlong and for a while it looked as though Ard Na Greine was going to battle back but the O’Brien runner found more and held on by ¾ length.
The pair finished 5½ lengths clear of the remainder, headed by the eye catching Johann Zoffany, another O’Brien runner.
15:23 A two year old maiden over a mile for our third event and the old adage of backing runners who have racecourse experience held true, despite there being several newcomers from the big stables.
Latin Love showed she loved the going by producing an eye catching run to justify the large amount of money wagered on her.
Newcomer A Girl from the John Oxx yard was a very eye catching second, running on well from out the pack and if upped to a mile and a quarter is worth watching.
Also worth watching is the third Roman Empress from the O’Brien yard, progressing well two out before being headed, she will undoubtedly come on for the run.
14:51 I’m not sure where to start with our second race, a 23 runner five furlong handicap.
Actually it became a 22 runner race when Nahrayn refused to enter the stalls.
The drama did not stop at the starting stalls, at the two furlong marker Kilmore Times seemed to clip heels, falling dramatically throwing jockey Seamus Foley to the ground. Luckily both horse and rider seemed none the worse for the spill.
At the business end the race became a three horse affair with Fairy Flow, Doorock and Faynita battling out a thrilling finish. With the three crossing the line in that order, 1¾ lengths clear of fourth placed Triple Axel
14:20 A five furlong nursery sets us on our way and, in retrospect, it’s a race the handicapper may want to give a second look, as the field were well spread out come the end of the race.
There was no real pacesetter, with the lead changing hands several times in the final stages.
Eventually the first to un for home was the grey Vera Lilley but her bid for glory was short lived as Pat Smullen bought Croisultan with a decisive run against the far rail, soon opening up a decent lead.
One of the joint favourites, Definite Opinion, did emerge from the pack but never mounted a serious challenge, ending up a never nearer length and a half behind the winner.
13:21 Good afternoon from Navan where the weather is sunny with a few clouds around, ranging from fluffy white through to nasty grey.
We will have live updates for the first seven races on this eight race card.
The going is Soft to Heavy, Heavy in places
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Non-Runners
2:15
4 Carrigfergus (lame)
2:45
13 Nahrayn (w/d)
Reserves
3:45
3 Cape Spice (sore shins)
4:15
1 Leg Spinner (stone bruise)
4:45
Reserves
5:15
2 Gratified (lame)
Results
2:15
1st 1 Croisultan 5/1
2nd 7 Definite Opinion 9/2 jf
3rd 6 Pax Soprana 6/1
9 Ran NR 4
Distances 1 1/2 & 3 1/2
Fav Second and No 2 (6th)
Tote
Win £6.70
Place £4.40 £1.10 £4.40
Exacta £23.90
CSF £26.73
Tricast £138.87
Time 1' 07.69"
2:45
1st 20 Faity Flow 20/1
2nd 9 Doorock 7/1 fav
3rd 16 Faynita 10/1
4th 7 Triple Axel 8/1
22 Ran NR's 13, 24, 25 & 26
Distances 3/4 , Head & 1 3/4
Fav second
Tote
Win £30.70
Place £5.90 £2.30 £1.50 £2.20
Exacta £391.50
CSF £164.56
Tricast £1,511.75
Time 1' 08.47"
No Rule 4
3:15
1st 8 Latin Love 2/1 fav
2nd 1 A Girl 13/2
3rd 11 Roman Empress 5/1
14 Ran
Distances 1 & 1 1/4
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.70
Place £1.50 £3.70 £2.10
Exacta £22.90
CSF £17.39
Time 1' 54.75"
3:45
1st 9 Malibu Bay 7/1
2nd 1 Ard Na Greine 4/1
3rd 7 Johann Zoffany 12/1
16 Ran NR 3
Distances 3/4 & 5 1/2
Fav No 8 (5th)
Tote
Win £12.70
Place £1.60 £1.60 £2.80 £2.50
Exacta £72.80
CSF £35.36
Time 1' 54.86"
4:15
1st 3 New Zealand 6/4 fav
2nd 4 Via Galilei 3/1
3rd 2 Daasij 13/2
10 Ran NR 1
Distances 1/2 & head
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.60
Place £1.10 £1.10 £1.10
Exacta £6.60
CSF £6.85
Time 2' 29.27"
Result Stands
4:45
1st 9 Shinkansen 12/1
2nd 16 Tin Town Boy 16/1
3rd 13 Rayina 10/1
4th 8 Ring Hill 12/1
23 Ran NR's 24 , 25 & 26
Distances 2 1/2 , Head , 3 1/2
Fav No 14 (Upl)
Tote
Win £20.90
Place £4.60 £7.60 £2.70 £3.80
Exacta £ not won
5:15
1st 10 Washington Irving 4/9 fav
2nd 9 Timari 7/2
3rd 21 Tapioca 25/1
20 Ran NR 3
Distances 1/2 & 8
Fav winner
Tote
Win £1.30
Place £1.10 £1.10 £18.80 £5.50
Exacta £2.10
5:45
1st 16 Puyol 12/1
2nd 10 Montero 11/4 fav
3rd 13 Noble Crusader 6/1
22 Ran
Distances 2 1/2 & 3/4
Fav second
Tote
Win £18.40
Place £2.60 £1.60 £2.10 £11.60
Exacta £162.20
CSF £48.18
Time 3' 53.3"
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