Papal Parade wins Navan's finale

The Eamonn O’Connell trained Papal Parade gained a maiden win in the concluding Gormanlough Handicap at Navan today, beating 19 rivals under jockey Declan McDonogh.

The daughter of Papal Bull had beaten just ten horses in her opening four runs but today built on the promise of her recent third placing at Bellewstown, scoring a three lengths win over Byron Beauty

A sustained and sizeable gamble (16/1 in the morning, and eventually returned 11/4 favourite) on Ripped failed although the Gavin Cromwell trained runner did finish third, three parts of a length further behind.

Papal Parade was today winning from a rating of 47 and afterwards O’Connell stated “she's fairly mad but is tough out. She's hardy at home but is grand when we go racing, no problems. We just tick away with her nice and slow.

“She'll probably go to Listowel, that's where Declan (McDonogh) said to go and she might get in there now - she wasn't getting into races before. We'll look for a mile-and-a-quarter or a mile-and-a-half.

“The owner (Anthony Clogan) is in Spain at the minute and won't be back until tomorrow.”

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson