James Du Berlais digs deep to secure Navan prize

James Du Berlais turned in a gutsy display to secure Grade Two glory in the BOYLE Sports Webster Cup Chase at Navan.

The 10-year-old won the Grade Three Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase at the Punchestown Festival last year, but the Willie Mullins-trained chestnut had been out of sorts on three previous runs this season.

Sent off at 11-1, he was held up by J J Slevin until being put into the race two out and took up the running at the final fence before staying on to come home by two and a quarter lengths.

Slevin said: “It was a good performance.

“I thought they went a good gallop; it is very heavy ground down the back. I’m a hostage to fortune with my horse, I have to ride him like that. There wasn’t a whole lot left in the tank at the back of the last. I was worried about the ground.

“He’s a great horse and I’m delighted to win on him. I really enjoy riding him.

“He’s a real talented horse when the scenario sets up for him. He ran in a Champion Hurdle (ninth, 2021) one time, and he was second in a Topham (2024) and fifth in it last year.”

Jacob’s Ladder will swerve the Cheltenham Festival in favour of other spring targets after winning the Flyingbolt Novice Chase.

Gordon Elliott’s 8-13 favourite took it up three fences from home and kept on to hold off the rallying Lovely Hurling by one and a quarter lengths and follow up his victory at Leopardstown in the Dublin Racing Festival.

He holds three entries at Cheltenham, but Elliott has other targets in mind for the Gigginstown House Stud owned seven-year-old, who now has Grade Three honours on his CV.

Elliott said: “He’s very gutsy and going the right way over fences.

“He was stepping into a graded race and has won a lot of prize-money.

“He picked up and galloped, so we are very happy. He did get through the ground, but Jack (Kennedy) said he struggled on it.

“He won’t go to Cheltenham, we might look at Fairyhouse or Aintree all being well.”