Rigour Back to best

Andrew McNamara moved two winners clear at the head of the Jockeys' Championship at Navan today, when steering Rigour Back Bob to win the Grade 2 Philips Electronics Tara Hurdle for his boss Edward O'Grady.

Never one to make life easy for himself, the field-domiciled Rigour Back Bob was under pressure in the straight and was only third jumping the final flight. However, the son of Bob Back produced a strong effort on the run-in to eventually score a two and a half lengths win over Stonemaster

O'Grady was absent but winning syndicate member (Gaticoma Syndicate) and Galway hurling manager John McIntyre subsequently stated "Rigour Back Bob lives out in a field and today's cold weather wouldn't have bothered him!"

He added "the horse did us proud last season but Edward said he couldn't believe how well he did during the summer and it took him two runs to get him back fit. The World Hurdle at Cheltenham is my favourite race at the Festival and hopefully he might be good enough to run in it some year."

Winning jockey Andrew McNamara also reported "he's very tough and thank god he jumped the final flight well. The ground is riding almost yielding to soft and that probably helped him."

Thomas Weekes