Flemenstar takes off at the last under Andrew Lynch© Photo Healy Racing
< Flemenstar made a winning start to his campaign with a satisfactory success in the Boylesports.com Fortria Chase at Navan on his debut for the Tony Martin team.
The top-class eight-year-old, sent off the 1-4 favourite as he sought back-to-back victories in the Grade Two contest, looked a little ring-rusty as he gave his fences plenty of air while tracking Realt Mor for most of the way.
He led three out under Andrew Lynch and never looked in danger afterwards, although he had to be rousted along on the run-in as Days Hotel stayed on strongly before finishing a length and a quarter in arrears.
Martin landed a treble, beginning when talented chaser Dedigout (9-2) gave weight and a beating to the opposition in the Boylesports.com Download Our App Lismullen Hurdle under a patient ride from Davy Russell.
The seven-year-old seemed to be struggling at one point in the straight, but he looked better the further he went and caught Mala Beach on the run-in to score by a length and three-quarters.
Martin also won when the Robbie Colgan-ridden Spacious Sky (10-1) nailed Big Generator on the run-in to take the St Johann Ski Resort Tirol Austria Handicap Hurdle by half a length.
Tony McCoy's visit paid off with his 4,002nd career winner as the JP McManus-owned Minella Foru came out best in a tactical battle for the Boylesports.com Quick Bet Racing 'For Auction' Novice Hurdle.
The odds-on Very Wood led the Grade Three contest at a moderate pace but didn't seem to enjoy the experience before he was picked off by Eddie Harty's 11-8 chance after the last, a length and a half separating the pair.
Eddie O'Connell landed a double on Gerdago (3-1), who benefitted from a positive ride to win the Follow Navan Racecourse On Facebook 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle by 13 lengths, and The Shepherd King (16-1), who was upsides faller Some Tikket at the last in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase and scored by six lengths.
