Having been amongst the winners earlier in the afternoon, jockey Billy Lee completed a double when Northern Sonas defied topweight in the Kilberry Handicap at Navan.

Third in two maidens earlier in the campaign, the Andy Oliver trained gelding had found life harder in handicap company of late.

However, after racing in stronger grades for much of the year, the son of Profitable was able to drop down into this lower bracket for the first time this afternoon.

Tracking leader Preparations into the straight, Lee had to work hard to pass the latter but once asserting inside the final furlong, the 3/1 chance kept on to win by half-a-length.

Andy Oliver said: “He’s a lovely big straight forward horse who dropped into a nice grade and up in trip.

“It’s lovely ground and he got a very straight forward ride. Hopefully it’s onwards and upwards and we’ll see where we go from here.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee.