Castlegrace Paddy (Bryan Cooper) leads Ornua at the last© Photo Healy Racing
Castlegrace Paddy returned to form when landing the Grade 2 Webster Cup Chase at Navan this afternoon.
The Pat Fahy-trained gelding was recording his fifth career win and fourth over fences with the highlight to-date coming last season in another Grade 2 - the Kerry Group Hilly Way Chase at Cork.
Ornua assumed his usual front-running role and was challenged by Castlegrace Paddy before two out.
Bryan Cooper ’s mount held a slight advantage approaching the last, and was ridden to assert on the run-in for a near three lengths success at odds of 100/30.
The 6/5 favourite Cadmium could make no impression from the penultimate fence and was eased after the last to finish all of 22 lengths back in third.
Mengli Khan was an absentee due to a temperature.
Fahy said, “That was great. Bryan said at Leopardstown to keep this race in mind. He said at Naas he gave a blow at the wrong time. When they all quickened he gave a blow and he had to give him a chance.
“I had thought about going for the Grand Annual and thought he was well in but Joe Foley and Steve Parkin wanted to come for this and when we saw the entries it looked like the right move.
“I'd say the ground is still heavy enough for him. All the times he's won it's been soft ground but ground that he can jump off whereas there he has to get down and jump and can't be slick enough but he was good today.
“I'm delighted for Steve Parkin, who has stuck by me, and Joe Foley. We had said if we won this we might go to Aintree but we'll see. This was the main objective and we got it.”
(GC & AM)
