The Peckhampouncer and Jack Cleary (red) beat Coffeemeanscoffee (right) © Photo Healy Racing
The Peckhampouncer sprang a 40/1 surprise in the navanadventurecentre.ie Apprentice Handicap.
The gelded son of Cappella Sansevero broke well from stall two and and made the running. He was pursued throughout by Coffeemeanscoffee (from stall one) but went away up the hill to defeat that one by a length and three quarters with Intervention who did best of those that came from off the pace, another three quarters of a length away in third.
The 4-year-old winner, whose only previous success was in a Tipperary nursery, had been runner-up at this course back in April before losing his form.
It was a third career victory, and a first of the year, for 10lb claimer Jack Cleary who won twice on the Willie McCreery-trained Mogwli in 2020.
Winning trainer David Broad said: “We fancied him today. He ran well a couple of times earlier in the year and then the ground dried up.
“He seems to like Navan, he's been second here a couple of times, and going on his old form he was very well handicapped.
“It's great to get a winner for the Lavelle family, they had a few quid on at big prices and everything worked grand.
“He's in again on Saturday at Limerick and more than likely will run.
“Jack (Cleary) was very cool on him and he's a good young lad. I know his Dad (fellow trainer) Mick going back a long way so it's nice to have Jack on board today.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
