Commander of Fleet lands valuable handicap at 40/1

Commander Of Fleet made it three winners in a row for Gordon Elliott at Navan as the top-weight recorded a 40/1 victory in the €100,000 Bective Stud Handicap Hurdle.

The Gigginstown-owned gelding was a Grade 1 winning novice hurdler back in 2019 but was then sidelined for 18 months and lost his way a bit last term.

There were some positives to be taken from his reappearance at Punchestown when falling two out while still in contention and he certainly rekindled the old flame here.

Shane Fitzgerald took 5lb off his back and sent the seven-year-old to the front between the final two flights and the son of Fame And Glory kept on strongly up the hill after the last. A Great View only sixth approaching the final flight, came home strongly to get within two-and-a-half lengths with Ballywilliam Boy a further four-and-a-half lengths adrift in third following a mistake at the last. The Jam Man completed the places in fourth.

Elliott said, "“It was a good performance. He was a good horse back in the day.

“To be honest I was worried he had a lot of weight but he did it well. I was very happy with him.

“He was running well the last day before he fell so that's great. We might try and qualify him for the Pertemps now.”

(GC & AM)