Grand Partner in action at Navan© Photo Healy Racing
Paul Townend got a sweet tune out of Grand Partner (7/1) as the seven-year-old gelding swooped late on the outside to nail College Boy by a head in the two mile handicap hurdle at Navan.
The pair were fully fifth jumping the final flight, but Thomas Mullins' charge responded well as Townend asked for more and they mowed down College Boy (16/1) in the shadow of the post.
Favourite backers thought they had chosen wisely as Pairofbrowneyes travelled strongly to lead two out. He was still at the head of affairs after jumping the last under Mikey Fogarty, but his race was soon run inside the final furlong as College Boy and Grand Partner went past him. He took third at 13/8 and was beaten by a head and three parts of a length.
Thomas Mullins said: "We need to go left-handed with him. He had two lovely runs in Leopardstown and I thought he had a chance in the Pertemps (at Punchestown), but David said he wasn't as good right-handed and he was proved right today.
"He had run well here before. There probably isn't a lot left around left-handed tracks for him. We might go for a beginners chase."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
