Jimmil and Conor Maxwell lead over the last© Photo Healy Racing
Jimmil opened his account in style when landing the featured €65,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Handicap Chase at Navan.
The Milan gelding had failed to justify some market confidence on a couple of previous runs but was supported again in this valuable three-mile test.
Morning price quotes of 33/1 about the Gavin Cromwell-trained gelding were quickly snapped up and he was sent off a 10/1 chance against nine rivals.
Treacysenniscorthy went to post the red-hot 4/5 favourite as the highly progressive handicap hurdler reverted to fences off what looked a very attractive mark.
The odds-on shot made a bold bid to make all but was challenged by Jimmil at the penultimate fence.
Conor Maxwell ’s mount led approaching the last and drew clear on the run-in to beat the favourite by five and a half lengths.
Minella Till Dawn kept on one paced another nine lengths adrift, just denying Caravation for third place.
Cromwell said, “That was great and it was a brilliant pot. His jumping is only starting to come. He asked him at one down the back and he jumped up into the clouds.
“He fell here a couple of runs ago when he over-jumped but it's come together and this is a great pot to win. I think there might be something in Fairyhouse for him but we'll see how we go.
“He didn't travel at all in Clonmel the last day but he was as sweet as a nut there today.”
(GC & AM)
