Finn McCool a giant for Navan punters

Finn McCool provided welcome relief for favourite backers at Navan when taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C & G) Maiden for the father and son team of Aidan and Donnacha O’Brien.

The Galileo full-brother to Kingfisher, runner-up in both the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and the Ascot Gold Cup, showed stamina should also be his forte by staying on gamely to deny promising newcomer Harbour Beacon

The pair set down to fight out the finish of this mile event from well over a furlong out, and the 10/11 favourite showed the benefit of his three previous runs to prevail by half a length. Clongowes was another four and a half lengths back in third.

Donnacha O'Brien said, “He's still babyish but I think he has a big engine. The second horse probably isn't too bad and it was a nice performance.”

(GC & AM)