Mckinley and Bryan Cooper© Photo Healy Racing
Mckinley quickened away in impressive fashion to land the Grade 3 'For Auction' Novice Hurdle at Navan.
Bryan Cooper always had the Gigginstown gelding to the fore in the two-mile contest and sent him clear before the second last.
Willie Mullins' charge kept on strongly in the closing stages to post a two-and-three-quarter length verdict over Fort Smith in the same colours. Princely Conn sent off the 6/4 favourite, came under pressure early in the straight and plugged on to finish eight lengths back in third.
“He's improving nicely all the time,” said Mullins of the winner.
“I'd say that ground stayed nice and wasn't too soft. He'll go up in grade now. He seemed to be galloping away at the end of two miles there and was up in the van the whole way.
“I'd rather have nice ground for him, I don't think he's a real middle of the winter horse but we'll see and let him tell us.”
