Media Naranja just leads Grappa Nonino over the last© Photo Healy Racing
Dermot Weld runners over jumps have been rare enough in recent years but the master of Rosewell House struck with Grappa Nonino in the opener at Navan and was well-backed into the bargain.
The Teofilo gelding, 33/1 in the morning and further supported before the off from 11/1 into 8/1, showed the benefit of a couple of previous outings over hurdles when just getting up on the line in the Race Displays Maiden Hurdle.
The 6/4 favourite Media Naranja jumped to the front at the penultimate flight and was about a length up early on the run-in.
However, Darragh O’Keeffe’s mount gradually reeled her in and just inched to the front in the final stride to score by a nose. Samadabad was a further three and a half lengths back in third.
O'Keeffe said, "He was very green and raw on his previous two starts. He always jumped really well and I'd say the experience he gained on his last two starts helped.
“Looking at the race today, if you took the favourite out of it, it actually didn't look like a great race.
“I think nicer ground was a huge thing for him as well. The two days I rode him it was sticky, deadish old ground.
“I always felt, when he went down and winged the last, that I was always going to get there and in fairness to him he did.”
Quotes by Gary Carson
