'Troytown Chase horse' wins Navan sprint

English trainer Paul Midgley and Champion Jockey Pat Smullen combined for a double at Navan today, as their Giant Spark landed the Come Racing Again Sunday 13th November Handicap, half an hour after One Boy had won the previous race.

Giant Spark made virtually all for a length and a quarter win over Rattling Jewel and following the race Smullen, who earlier registered his first winner for Midgley with One Boy, stated “he didn’t enjoy coming down the hill and got a bit unbalanced with me. As soon as he hit the rising ground I could feel him pick up again and he got to the line well.

“Paul (Midgley) said he’d handle the ground very well and he was confident of a big run. To be fair to him he targeted two races and he nailed both of them.

“He’s a huge big horse and he looks anything but a sprinter - he looks like he could be here for the Troytown (Chase) more than a sprint! It just goes to show you can’t just judge them on appearances as he looks like a big chaser but he’s obviously blessed with plenty of pace.”

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson