Nickajack Cave and Colin Keane (right) beat Pensylvania Avenue © Photo Healy Racing
Nickajack Cave battled gamely to land a quick double on the card at Navan for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane when taking the featured Royal County Handicap.
The grey was an easy to back 9/2 shot in the ten furlong contest making just his third career outing.
Keane sent his mount into the lead two-and-a-half furlongs from home and he dug deep when joined by Pensylvania Avenue over a furlong out.
There was little between the pair in the closing stages with the Kendargent gelding sticking his head out to secure a neck success in the colours of David Spratt.
The winner had scored on his debut at Cork before chasing home the smart-looking Georgeville at Roscommon last month.
A battling Nickajack Cave lands the feature and secures a quick fire double for @gerlyonsracing pic.twitter.com/l3Son9gO4S— Navan Racecourse (@NavanRacecourse) June 1, 2019
A battling Nickajack Cave lands the feature and secures a quick fire double for @gerlyonsracing pic.twitter.com/l3Son9gO4S
“That was grand. I thought things worked out against him in Roscommon as they went no gallop and he got boxed in,” said Lyons.
“He couldn't go anywhere and couldn't do anything about the pace. They sprinted away from him but he learned plenty.
“He's a horse that's on the improve, he's learning as he goes along and he's a good looking horse.
“He loved that little bit of juice in today's ground and he got every yard of the ten furlongs.
“I'd like to think that if the handicapper is handy with us we have another premier handicap in him.”
