Racing

Kalypso cements Champion Bumper claims at Navan

Gavin Cromwell enjoyed a successful afternoon with Midnight It Is and Individualiste providing a double on the card

Gordon Ellott: 'I’d say he’s a smart horse, he’s a good horse,” said Elliott of the gelding Kalypso who is now 7-1 from 8-1 for the Champion Bumper. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho
Gordon Ellott: 'I’d say he’s a smart horse, he’s a good horse,” said Elliott of the gelding Kalypso who is now 7-1 from 8-1 for the Champion Bumper. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho
Gary Carson, PA
Sun Dec 15 2024 - 18:13

Gordon Elliott’s Kalypso impressed with a neat victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Future Champions INH Flat Race at Navan on Sunday.

He had won his sole point-to-point start by 13 lengths in April before changing hands and is now owned by Gigginstown House Stud, who ran two in the race.

Ridden by Patrick Mullins as the 5-4 favourite, the four-year-old travelled well throughout and took up the lead a furlong from home to score by 4½ lengths from John McConnell’s Heads Up, with a further 2½ lengths back to stablemate Classical Creek.

“I’d say he’s a smart horse, he’s a good horse,” said Elliott of the gelding, who is now 7-1 from 8-1 for the Champion Bumper with Paddy Power.

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“Patrick said he’s a fair horse. We’ll probably end up going to Leopardstown all being well. He quickened really well, it was a nice race and I was happy with him.”

The likes of Samcro, Envoi Allen and Sir Gerhard are previous winners of the race.

Gavin Cromwell enjoyed a successful afternoon with Midnight It Is and Individualiste providing a double on the card.

The former lined up for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Chase under Sean Flanagan, starting at 10-1 when returning to action after a lengthy absence having last been seen in January.

His time away from the track was no hindrance as he went on to score by a length and a half, with a step up grade now possibly around the corner.

“Obviously he hadn’t run for a long time but he runs well fresh,” said Cromwell. “We’ve been waiting a long time for the ground for him. He’s been ready for quite a while and we were anxious to get him out.

“He won well and we might have a look at the Dan Moore. Hopefully we’re up to that grade.”

The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Chase was then won by the same trainer with 10-11 favourite Individualiste, ridden by Keith Donoghue when stepping down in trip after a staying success at Thurles last time out.

“He had to battle, I was definitely a little bit worried for a while,” Cromwell said of the victory. “He got the jump at the last and he was gutsy enough. A Wave Of The Sea [runner-up] is a classy horse on his day.

“We’ll see where we go from here. He travelled quite well there so we could potentially come back in trip a bit.”

Charles Byrnes’s Brave Troop continued in good form to take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle.

The five-year-old switched to the stable ahead of the season and got off to a winning start when landing a Thurles handicap last month.

He was the 13-8 favourite under James Smith this time, and was a comfortable four-length victor.

“We’re delighted. He settled much better today so he was able to ride him that bit closer and he picked up nicely,” said Byrnes.

“He jumped better today as well. He’s jumping better and settling better and I think that’s why he has improved.

“There might be something in Leopardstown for him. He might creep into the bottom of the two-miler there. Two miles on decent ground is important. He wouldn’t want it any softer. It’s dead enough there but he handled it fine.”

Glen Kiln took the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle over 2½ miles for owner and trainer Michael Bowe, a comfortable six-length success under Brian Hayes at 9-2.

The trainer’s brother John said afterwards: “He’s a very nice horse, he’s only five. He schooled last week over fences in Limerick junction and we were going to go for a beginners’ chase but the ground was nicer here, he wants soft ground.

“2½ miles and the track, all the conditions were right for him. We love him, he’s a horse for the future.

“He’s from Sweet Kiln and Limestone Lad’s family. We had great luck with them around this track years ago so it’s great to be back here. We haven’t had a winner in Navan for many years.

“We’ll see what the handicapper does now. Fences is definitely his future and he jumped particularly well last week schooling.”

Elsewhere on the card, Blaze The Way took the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle at 16-1 for Margaret and Danny Mullins, while Verdant Place took the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Chase as the 3-1 favourite for Simon Torrens and Patrick Foley.