Blaze The Way relished the step up to 3m1f when coming home strongly on handicap debut to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle in Navan.

The Getaway gelding won a bumper at Thurles last spring and scored here at 16/1 for the mother and son combination of Mags and Danny Mullins.

The six-year-old made headway on the inner to challenge at the final flight.

He was soon in front and kept on well on the uphill run-in to beat Toor Khov by three and a quarter lengths, with the front-running Plain Or Battered finding no extra from the last a further three lengths back in third. Crossing The Bar completed the places in fourth.

Mags Mullins said, "I'm delighted with him. He won his bumper and was placed over hurdles.

“I think he's a stayer and the last day we kind of rode him the wrong way in a better race. I've liked him for a while and I wasn't surprised to see that.

“He probably has his level, I'm not sure, but I'm charmed to have a winner here today. We'll get him back home now and talk with the two boys (Brian and Tom Groarke).

“We won't go again quickly with him, there might be something at the Thyestes meeting for him. We'll see how he improves from here.”

Quotes by Gary Carson