Oh My Word! Big winner for Tom Cleary in Navan feature

The Tom Cleary-trained Oh My Word added his name to an illustrious roll of honour in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Future Champions INH Flat Race at Navan.

Just four runners went to post for a Listed contest trainer Gordon Elliott had won in eight of the last nine years, with the top-class trio of Samcro (2016), Envoi Allen (2018) and Sir Gerhard (2020) among his notable victors.

Panjandrum, a narrow winner on his bumper debut at Clonmel, was the sole Cullentra representative this time around after his stablemate Keep Him Company was declared a non-runner and he set out to make all, but he was ultimately no match for the impressive winner.

Oh My Word was a shock 33-1 winner on his racecourse debut over the course and distance four weeks ago but proved that to be no fluke, joining 6-4 favourite Panjandrum for the lead from the home turn under a motionless Derek O’Connor and once given his head he fairly sprinted to clear to score by 11 lengths as an 11-4 shot.

Athlone-based Cleary said: “He’s a lovely horse and I’m very happy with him. He was indeed (very impressive) and he definitely improved from the last day.

“We had a great man on his back as well. The ground and everything was in his favour today.

“That is my first Listed race, so it is good.”

Paddy Power cut Oh My Word’s odds for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham to 20-1 from 40-1.

When asked whether Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival could be a possible target, Cleary added: “We have no plans whatsoever. I have to have a chat with Mr Ross (owner). Unfortunately he couldn’t be here today as he went to America yesterday to visit the family.”

While out of look in the feature event on the card, Elliott did not leave empty handed, with 13-2 chance Spinola Bay comfortably landing the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle in the hands of Sam Ewing.

“He travelled well, he made a couple of mistakes. We thought he was well enough handicapped, but he just had disappointed us. I’d say he was a weak horse and just took a bit of time,” said Elliott.

“I was under no pressure to run him off David (L’Estrange, owner) and we just gave him all the time – there was nothing wrong with the horse, he was just big and weak.

“Hopefully he will be able to defy a penalty.”

Trainer Martin Hassett enjoyed a double courtesy of victories for Battle Of Ridgeway (6-1) and Soloman Lane (22-1). It was also a first ever double for the rider of both horses, 5lb claimer Liam McKenna, who said: “Battle Of Ridgeway is the kind of horse that if he’s right he wins and if he’s not, he just doesn’t show up.

“He’s very uncomplicated. Sometimes he mightn’t do a whole lot in front, but he didn’t do that today. He galloped away down to the last and picked up.

“Soloman Lane probably needed it the last day and it left him spot-on for today.”

Quest For Speed was a 40-1 winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle for Shark Hanlon and Gavin Brouder, with the former saying afterwards: “The boys had a right few quid on him – they got 66-1. I rang the lads last night and said to bring a few quid.

“He ran in a Listed race the last time and he is 9lb lower over hurdles than he is over fences, and he wants heavy (ground).

“You’ll see him at Limerick over Christmas.”

Ross O’Sullivan’s Found A Diamond (11-2) won under Shane Markey, while Gavin Cromwell and Keith Donoghue combined to take the penultimate race of the afternoon with The Lovely Man (5-1), with stablemate Evies Vladimir filling the runner-up spot.