Path D'oroux survives a mistake at the last© Photo Healy Racing
Keith Donoghue, a grand nephew of trainer Andy Lynch who passed away this week, sported the black armband in his honour and landed the opening rated novice hurdle in Navan on Path D'oroux Ifiwerearichman led and was closely attended to by Landrake who was asked for a big jump to lead at the third last, but met it wrong and departed with Spirit Of Legend brought down.
Path D'oroux made the best way home between the final two flights but Ifiwerearichman was still in with a chance, particularly when the leader fluffed the last.
Donoghue got after his mount on the run-in and he stayed on well up the hill to beat Ifiwerearichman by four and three quarter lengths.
The winner was returned at 3/1 from the 10/1 runner-up. The luckless Spirit Of Legend went off 9/4 favourite in a race in which three horses (half the field) finished.
Trainer Gavin Cromwell said: “I know there were fallers but he won the race in a nice manner.
“He travels lovely every day, even in the Royal Bond he travelled very well but he cut out in a matter of 50 yards.
“He ran a lot better in Leopardstown the last day and hopefully he's on the way back.
“The ground is no bother to him as he's a big strong horse and he has plenty of gears too.
“I suppose the owners would like to go to Cheltenham for something so we might look at one of the handicaps.”
This represented a drop in class for Path D'oroux who was pulled up in the Grade 1 Royal Bond at Fairyhouse before finishing fourth in a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Leopardstown behind Facile Vega over Christmas.
Davy Russell was stood down for the day after his fall on Landrake.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
