Harvard Guy and Mark Walsh (far side) beat Lord Erskine © Photo Healy Racing
Harvard Guy bagged back-to-back wins at Navan when running out a convincing winner of the featured BetVictor Tara Handicap Hurdle on the card this afternoon.
The Telescope gelding, trained by Eddie and Patrick Harty, had got off the mark over course and distance last month and went to post 3/1 joint-favourite to repeat the dose in today's Listed contest.
Mark Walsh moved up to dispute on the JP McManus-owned gelding going to the third last and he had a narrow lead after the penultimate flight. Lord Erskine looked a big danger when travelling smoothly to challenge before the last but Harvard Guy found plenty when tackled, going on to post a two-length success.
“He's a nice horse in the making, but he is in the making,” said Harty.
“Some of them go up 10lb and it's a bit like a 16-year-old going from Junior B to Senior in one go, that's what he's had to do but he's won nicely.
“He'll get further in time and will jump fences in time. He's going the right way and it's nice to have one of them again. It's a while since we've had one so if we could keep moseying up.
“He's a fine horse. He grew up big time today from the last time and he grew up big time the last time from last year which is what you want.
“Where we go from here I don't know. I I'd said at the start of the year that he'd be unbeaten at Christmas having won a listed hurdle I would have taken my temperature.”
When asked if the Dublin Racing festival could be a target he added:- “I would think so, if it wasn't too quick for him ground-wise. He's a big raw horse still.”
