Glenabo Bridge grinds it out for McKiernan & Browne

Glenabo Bridge gained reward after a couple of decent efforts in defeat when landing the John Lynch Carpets Handicap Hurdle at Navan.

The Oliver McKiernan-trained gelding filled the runner-up spot behind The Church Gate over a similar 2m6f trip at Thurles last time, and reversed places with that rival here.

Barry Browne sent the six-year-old to the front entering the straight, although the former winning pointer had a real battle on hands after a mistake at the final flight.

The 6/1 chance dug deep on the run-in to hold off the well-backed 7/2 favourite Pack Your Bags by a neck.

The Church Gate was six lengths back in third, while Wee Small Hours was a further length and a quarter away in fourth.

McKiernan said, “He's a horse that's after running two or three races fairly quickly and people were kind of giving out to me about running him so quickly after Thurles.

“He had a fairly hard race in Thurles, he made a couple of mistakes and it took the wind out of his sails. He lost no weight or anything so I said 'why shouldn't we run him'. When he hit the last hurdle I thought he was nearly gone but he went again. He's tough out.

“He's a genuine galloper. At home he just puts down his head and keeps going. He's genuine and honest. He has an abundance of that. He's not the quickest but he'll grind it out.

“He's just big enough but he has the right attitude and has a bit of a heart so those things will help him in heavy ground. Robert Tyner's horse came at him and he was still grinding it out. It actually helped him and it was a good battle.”

(GC & AM)