Crawford the Man With Van

Local trainer Stuart Crawford’s Man With Van was popular with punters as weight of money forced his price down to 6/4f on the off. He motored home in good style with Crawford’s brother Steven doing the steering.

The seven-year-old son of Milan won his point-to-point on debut in Taylorstown in May before falling in another point-to-point in November at Maralin which was won by subsequent Downpatrick bumper winner James.

His first foray in a maiden hurdle in Navan in mid-December was laden with promise as he finished the race strongly to come home fifth of 30 to Sizing Tennessee.

Today’s maiden hurdle saw him make progress into fourth at the fourth last. From there he hit the front at the next obstacle before being ridden clear. He wandered across the track after jumping the last but hit the line five and a half lengths up.

Another local trainer, Brian Hamilton, supplied the runner-up – Der Kaiser at 9/1, while Quickasyoucan landed third-placed money.

Stuart Crawford said: “He’s a very nice horse. He’s late maturing, he won his point-to-point very impressively in the spring and summered well. I thought he would win when he fell in Maralin.

“He got a nice run in Navan. I didn’t know how well he would take to hurdles.”

The Jetmac Syndicate are beside Crawford in east Antrim.