Jack motors to Troytown success

Trainer Peter Casey and owner Seamus Murphy both completed big chase across-the-card doubles today, when Jack The Bus won the €85,000 Ladbrokes.com Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan, under Alan Crowe.

An hour earlier the Nigel Twisten-Davies trained Hello Bud won the Becher Chase for owner Murphy while Casey, who bred Jack The Bus, was also the winning breeder for that Aintree winner.

Jack The Bus' jockey Alan Crowe was himself pocketing his second big handicap chase in recent weeks having steeredStreets Of Gold to win the Cork Grand National recently.

Hangover was the only non-runner of today's 17 strong field with low weights dominating the business end of the race.

Jack The Bus, carrying 9st12lbs, was patiently ridden and produced with perfect timing to eventually get his head in front at the final fence, staying on well to record a three parts of a length win.

Runner-up Glenquest went close to pulling off an antepost gamble (returned 7/1) and was unfortunate in that he raced from 1lb out of the handicap.

Winning trainer Casey later reported "Jack The Bus ran well in the Cork National the last day and was entitled to have a big chance here."

He added "he made one bad mistake but it had little effect on him. He wants really heavy ground and, tomorrow morning, I'll have to enter him for the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas!"

Glenquest's jockey Andrew Leigh was subsequently suspended for three race-days for excessive use of his whip.

Thomas Weekes