Saddlers goes down a storm
Tony Martin
Sunday March 14 2010
Saddlers Storm completed a hat-trick with an emphatic victory in the big race at Navan, the valuable Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novices Handicap Chase.
Davy Russell took the Tony Martin-trained gelding to the front two out and the 4-1 favourite gradually drew clear of the opposition to beat Jack The Bus by five lengths.
"It was a toss-up whether to come here or run at Cheltenham in the four-miler," said Martin.
"The plan since Christmas was to run in the four-miler and Derek (O'Connor) was to ride, but off 114 I thought we couldn't miss this.
"Uttoxeter (Midlands Grand National) would probably come too soon after running over three miles here. He'll be a grand horse for staying chases next season."
Hellyhunter landed a last-gasp victory over Acapulco in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Hurdle.
Acapulco had a narrow advantage after jumping the last but seemd to idle close home despite Andrew McNamara's urgings, and Barry Geraghty got more out of Hellyhunter (6-1) to land the spoils by a head.
"I was worried about the ground as he's a soft to heavy horse and I very nearly took him out as he wants genuinely soft ground," said winning trainer Davy Fitzgerald.
"I wasn't surprised. We weren't making enough use of him in his maiden hurdles. He'll go chasing and hopefully make up into a Moriarty horse like Mister Top Notch. I think a lot of him. He's a proper horse."
Geraghty was following up the success of Our Gar (5-1), who led approaching the second-last and romped away with the Kells Maiden Hurdle by nine lengths.
