Our Valentina wins Navan opener

The Stuart Crawford trained Our Valentina continued jockey Paul Townend’s excellent run of form when winning the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Mares) Maiden Hurdle at Navan today.

The daughter of Shantou was chasing Reine Des Pres for much of the run-in but finished stronger and eventually led close home for a half length win.

Afterwards Townend, fresh from riding two winners at last month's Cheltenham Festival, stated “she probably wants to go a bit further than that - the ground is very heavy and she just stayed galloping for me.

“She jumped a bit big but it's hard work out there and she was tough.

“She was second to another horse of theirs, Elusive Theatre (at Ayr in February) so was well fancied for the race today. She had it in the book but as you know it doesn't always work out like that. Hopefully they'll have a bit of fun with her.”

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson