Rupert Lamb delights Lavery

The race for the novice chase at Navan didn’t really get under way until two out as Dylan Ross and Davy Russell tracked 9/10 favourite Rupert Lamb

It looked as though Dylan Ross (2/1) would go on from the frontrunner, but Declan Lavery kicked on again on Rupert Lamb and a good jump at the last helped the pair outbattle the runner-up by a length and a half.

Dylan Ross consistently made ground on Rupert Lamb at the early fences with slicker jumps, but when the race reached the business end Rupert Lamb’s jumping came through.

“That’s my first winner for Willie though I have ridden a point-to-point winner for him,” jockey Declan Lavery said about the Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old gelding.

“I’ve been with him about two years. Rupert Lamb is a proper two miler and jumps well.

“We didn’t go that quick, but I knew he had loads of gears and he quickened for me.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee