Anibale Fly (white cap, right) and Mark Walsh© Photo Healy Racing
J.P. McManus registered a double at Navan today as his Tony Martin trained Anibale Fly landed the Crystalski.ie EBF Beginners Chase on his fences debut to provide the leading owner’s retained jockey Mark Walsh with his own personal double.
Thirty five minutes earlier, McManus and Walsh were beaten narrowly with Gilgamboa in the featured Fortria Chase, but having also won the opener with That’s A Wrap, didn’t complete their work until Anibale Fly posted a fine debut chase win in his contest.
The son of French bred son of Assessor was a winner at the Punchestown festival on his last start last April and today travelled well for most of the trip, before eventually fending off the challenge of Cheltenham festival hero Martello Tower 0AFollowing the race, Martin stated “it was very workmanlike - he had plenty done on the flat and schooling and that showed.
“Before we ever ran him, we had the option of point-to-pointing so he had plenty of schooling in him and lucky enough it showed.”
The 'handicap king' added “it was grand to get it and great that he jumped well and hopefully he has a bit of a future over fences but I wouldn’t be getting too excited after only scrambling home.
"He does get two-and-a-half (miles) but has enough pace over two and two-and-a-quarter and we’ll get him home and see how he is but I wouldn’t be getting too excited after today.”
By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson
