Irish Thistle leads at last as City Slicker blunders© Photo Healy Racing
Irish Thistle landed the spoils in the opener at Navan as odds-on shot City Slicker folded tamely.
The 8/15 favourite didn't help his chances by jumping badly right throughout. He was sent to the front at halfway and still appeared to be travelling best two out as he was tackled on both sides.
Some Drama was ridden to challenged on his outer with Irish Thistle getting a run through on the inner.
Andrew Lynch drove Irish Thistle into the lead approaching the last and a tired jump by City Slicker there saw him capitulate quickly.
The Harry Rogers-trained (9/2) winner stayed on strongly on the run-in to record a seven-and-a-half length success over the hotpot.
The winner has been placed on his jumping debut here in November and had also landed a bumper at the track last March.
“He probably deserved that. He likes the track and is a three-mile chaser in the making,” said Rogers afterwards.
“He may go to Leopardstown in a few weeks time for a winners' race, we'll see how he comes out of this. The further he goes the better.”
(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)
