1,2,3 (l to r) Easy Game (Ruby Walsh), Magnium (Robbie Power) and Choungaya (Mark Walsh)© Photo Healy Racing
The Grade Three 'Monksfield' Novice Hurdle unfortunately took a heavy toll on its equine participants with victory in one of Navan's feature events going to Easy Game after a very exciting conclusion. Sometime Soon (later reported to be a fatality) had every chance when falling three out and his Gordon Elliott-trained stable companion Dinons was badly hampered.
Ruby Walsh steered around that on Easy Game (11/2) who produced a strong finish up the run-in to edge Magnium (6s into 4s) and Choungaya by a neck and a head.
The mare Under Surveillance slipped up fatally injuring herself after the line.
“The luck goes with you some days and against you others. We were hoping he could run well and to pick up the pot was brilliant. He’s honest and he jumps and tries for you,” said Walsh on the Wicklow Bloodstock (Ireland) Ltd and Willie Mullins-trained Easy Game.
(AM & EM)
