Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
IT’S A CAPTAIN’S PERFORMANCE
PETER O’HEHIR
HENRY DE BROMHEAD and Gordon Elliott recorded doubles at Navan yesterday, Captain Guinness landing the Grade 2 Fortria Chase, for which only four lined-up following three withdrawals.
Captain Guinness saw off favourite Riviere
D’etel and is now bound for the Tingle Creek at Sandown next month, as his trainer confirmed: “He’s a very good horse and deserves to win a Grade 1 – he ran well to be third in the Tingle Creek last year and will be entered for it again.”
The De Bromhead/ Rachael Blackmore double had been initiated by Spirit Of Legend in the opener.
On a day that yielded a mixture of highs and lows, Elliott struck with impressive chasing debutante Hollow Games (Jack Kennedy), who looked a natural over fences in the beginners chase and 4/5 favourite Maxxum (Davy
Russell), a very easy winner of the handicap hurdle.
Earlier, Willie Mullins (inset), who decided against running both Flame Bearer and Fenry Hollow due to unsuitable dry ground, took the Grade 3 Gibney’s For Auction Novice Hurdle with front-running Hercule Du Seuil (Mark Walsh), who followed-up a wide-margin maiden success in Tipperary.
Keen in front, the 11/10 favourite recovered well from a last flight blunder to keep the Elliott pair Imagine and Three Card Brag at bay.
And Elliott’s Found A Fifty (4/5 favourite) was turned over by the highlyregarded, Charles Byrnes-trained Summer Melody (Ray Barron) in the bumper.