Galileo-sired N'golo gained a first Graded win at Navan today as the Willie Mullins trained, Paul Townend partnered gelding landed the Grade 3 For Auction Novice Hurdle for owner Rich Ricci.

N'golo was outpaced in fourth jumping the final flight at which point leader Annexation appeared most likely to win but N'golo finished strongest on the run-in. The grey eventually wore down Annexation in the closing stages and beat that rival by a length and a half, to notch his third hurdles win.

Mullins wasn't present and afterwards Townend stated “it worked out for us. The tongue-tie probably helped on that ground.

“If you forgive him the run in Kilbeggan he's done nothing wrong for us in fairness to him.

“I think he's stepped up again today, to carry the penalty, and it was a nice performance out of him.

“He could go further, definitely, and even today we thought in that grade two miles might be sharp enough for him.

“I opted to take a lead and try and get him to do things right because we have to iron out a few of those problems that he showed early on. He's winning and that's the main thing.”

N'golo was a flat maiden winner on his fourth and final start in his native France in 2018, didn't race during 2019 and debuted for Mullins last July.

Quotes from Gary Carson