McGovern gets Sam up on the line

Conor McGovern got Ken's Sam up on the line to deny the 6/1 favourite Brave Display in the Navan Welcomes Owners Today Apprentice Handicap.

Available at 20's this morning, the Adrian Joyce trained four-year-old came in for some market support, opening on-course at 12's, before going off a 10/1 chance.

Having made the breakthrough on her eleventh start at Dundalk last month, the daughter of Intense Focus disappointed last time out at Cork.

Towards rear in the early stages today, she was ridden in mid-division with two furlongs left to race.

She found top gear inside the final furlong, staying on strongly to get up on the line, denying the market leader by a head.

The Patrick Prendergast trained runner-up, who won at Dundalk on Friday, raced prominently under Ana O'Brien. He went a few lengths clear with over a furlong to race, but couldn't last it out, and had to settle for second. Chosen Rock (14's to 12's on-course) kept on well to take third, another head back under Oisin Orr for Peter Casey.

The Tony Mullins trained January Morn (14/1) completed the placings, another short head away in fourth.

The winning handler said afterwards: "He gave her a great ride and that's the way she need to be ridden. She has to be held up as she doesn't have much of a kick if she's up with the pace.

"When she's dropped in like that and can settle she can rattle home. I thought he wasn't going to get out for a couple of strides but he got her out and in front when it mattered.

"She ran well the last day but Colm O'Donoghue said she didn't handle the ground in Cork. She went on that today.

"The owner is a good supporter of mine, Tommy Kelly. He's my partner's uncle and he's a good man.

"He wants to run her in Galway so that's probably where she'll be going to. We'll look for something over seven furlongs there."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson