The Hurl beats them off

From a good family of Paddy and Maureen Mullins, The Hurl showed all the toughness his pedigree would suggest he should possess when the bravely fended off Quietly Fancied and Judge Roy Bean in the Grade 2 'Monksfield' Novice Hurdle at Navan.

He made all under Niall 'Slippers' Madden and quickened the tempo from four out. Try as they might, and they did have every chance, Quietly Fancied and Judge Roy Bean couldn't raise any extra on the run-in to get to the 7/1 winner, a length and a half being the margin of success at the line. Judge Roy Bean, the 2/5 favourite was a further head back in third.

The Hurl was four and a half lengths behind Judge Roy Bean last time but crucially there was an extra half a mile to travel today.

Slippers commented: "He was very tough there. I'm not sure of plans for him now though."

The Hurl had the same tendon injury as stable companion, War Of Attrition and he benefited from stem cell regeneration too.