Smullen has first winner for Midgley at Navan

Champion Jockey Pat Smullen partnered his first winner for Paul Midgley at Navan today as the North Yorkshire based trainer landed the www.navanracecourse.ie Handicap with One Boy

Smullen moved the son of Captain Gerrard to the front with a furlong to race and in the end the pair held on for a half length win over Doonard Prince

Midgley didn’t make the trip to Ireland but afterwards Smullen stated “it worked out perfectly and Paul was confident of a good run from him and he handled the ground well.

“He (Midgley) just said not to get to the front too soon and I probably got there a shade sooner than ideal but he was travelling so well that it lured me into thinking he was going to win easy. He’s a grand horse and he got to the line well in fairness to him and to be fair to Paul he does well with those sprinters.

“I think from early in the week Paul was always intending on coming here and my agent (Kevin O’Ryan) was on the ball.”

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson