Young Dev relishes testing conditions in Navan

Young Dev bounded right away on the run-in of the three mile handicap chase in Navan to post a three-and-three-quarter-length success. Rolly Bowley Boy put in a lot of the hard yards off the front, but kept finding for Eoin Walsh as the race hotted up between the final two fences.

Daniel King rode second-running Young Dev to gather in the leader at the last and, once Young Dev touched down, he ran on well to prevail at 12/1 having been backed in from 18s.

As racecourse commentator Jerry Hannon said, runner-up Rolly Bowley Boy's day will come, but today he had to settle for second at 4/1. Positive Thinker the 5/2 favourite, weakened back in third, beaten eight lengths by the winner.

Jockey King said: “He jumped savage and his jumping took me into it . He winged the last as well and galloped strongly to the line.

“He loves the ground and three miles, even further is better for him. He was good and impressive there.

“He likes it here and it's nice to get a winner for the owners who are good supporters of Denis' (Hogan, trainer).”

This was 10-year-old gelding Young Dev's seventh career success.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson