Stratos off the mark over jumps High Stratos was delivered with a well-timed charge on the run-in to open his account over jumps in the Navan Shamrock Festival Maiden Hurdle. Barry Geraghty's mount wore down Speed Demon on the run-in and was going away at the line for a four-and-a-quarter length victory in the two-and-a-half mile contest. The Jessica Harrington-trained gelding had won a bumper at Punchestown last May before finishing mid-division on his hurdling debut at the same course a few weeks later. He was making his first start since finishing third in a Flat maiden at Ballinrobe last July. "He was entitled to do that the way he won the bumper in Punchestown. He just doesn't jump the greatest but he's getting there," said Harrington. "The further he went the better he was and we'll probably go up in trip. I'd say to three miles." This gave Harrington an across-the-card double as Keppols Queen took Grade 3 novice hurdle glory in Limerick.
