Blazing Khal makes winning return in Navan feature

The featured William Hill Boyne Hurdle saw Blazing Khal (5/1) overcome an absence of 428 days to score for Charles and Philip Byrnes.

The Kalanisi gelding, whose previous outing was a Grade 2 success at Cheltenham in December 2021. was patiently ridden before moving into contention between horses after the third-last. From the next the race was between Meet And Greet and Blazing Khal and it was the latter who gained the upper hand from the back of the last to score by three lengths with a further three and a half lengths back to Beacon Edge successful in this race a couple of years ago.

Unbeaten in four starts over hurdles, Paddy Power make the winner 5/2 joint-favourite (from 9/2) for the Stayers' Hurdle which the company itself sponsors.

"It's relief really with the young fella riding him and all. I thought he gave him a lovely ride and he settled grand for him,” said Charles Byrnes.

“He's definitely a very good horse. He was working well and doing a lot of work over the last few weeks. We did expect a big run, he was fairly straight.

“With him it's day by day but naturally we'll be thinking of Cheltenham, of course. We've had so many false dawns with him. It's just been little niggly problems.

“The timing is not too bad, I suppose. We would have preferred to have him out before now but it is what it is. We can go to Aintree if we don't make Cheltenham.

“He was fairly fit today but naturally with race fitness you'd hope he'd come on again.

“You always have the bounce factor and ideally you'd want a second run but it is what it is and we're delighted to get him back.”

Quotes from Gary Carson