Hollow Games winning at Navan last year© Photo Healy Racing
Gordon Elliott will make a powerful bid for a sixth win in the €100,000 Bar One Racing Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan with 18 of the total of 39 entries.
The historic race is the highlight on the second day of the new two-day Navan Racing Festival on Sunday, November 19.
The Cullentra team includes Hollow Games, an impressive beginners’ chase winner at the course 12 months ago and third in this year’s Galway Plate, along with recent Munster National winner and Irish Grand National runner-up Gevrey, Irish Grand National third Defi Bleu and Run Wild Fred who won this race in 2021.
The Willie Mullins-trained Irish Grand National winner I Am Maximus heads the weights on 11st12lb with stablemate and Cheltenham Festival winner Gaillard Du Mesnil next in the list on 11st10lb while Bronn (11st 8lb) is also among a quality quartet of entries by the champion trainer.
Munster National runner-up Largy Debut is among five entries made by Henry de Bromhead while Thedevilscoachman, a former Boyne Hurdle winner and Grade 3 winner over fences, heads Noel Meade’s trio.
Another local trainer, Gavin Cromwell, has also made three entries including Cheltenham Festival runner-up Stumptown and the improving mare Limerick Lace.
Barney O’Hare, CEO of Bar One Racing, said: "The Bar One Racing Troytown is traditionally one of the most fiercely contested handicaps of the season. It's pleasing to see the race strongly supported by Ireland's leading stables.
“Handicaps like the Troytown attract a nice blend of lesser exposed and more experienced handicappers, and that makes them a puzzle that racing fans love to try and solve. The Troytown always attracts strong turnover - it's the centrepiece of what should be a fantastic weekend of racing at Navan. We're delighted to attach the Bar One Racing brand to a National Hunt festival of this type."
Aidan McGarry, Navan Racecourse Manager, commented: "The tremendous backing that we have received has allowed us to bring two great racing days together on the same weekend to run the inaugural Navan Racing Festival. Bar One Racing’s Barney O’Hare is the fixture’s biggest supporter and I’m delighted for him that the early entries for the Troytown Chase are so strong.
"The weekend brings together many of our feature races of the season including the Bar One Racing Fortria Chase (Grade 2), The Railway Bar Lismullen Hurdle (Grade 2), the John Lynch Carpets And Flooring Monksfield Novice Hurdle (Grade 3) and the Bar One Racing For Auction Novice Hurdle (Grade 3) and we can't wait to welcome racegoers to the track on November 18 and 19.”
