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Maarek gains 14th win in Navan opener

Maarek gets a kiss from trainer Evanna McCutcheon Maarek gets a kiss from trainer Evanna McCutcheon
© Photo Healy Racing

Old favourite Maarek bounced back to winning ways when coming with a swooping run to land the spoils in the opener at Navan this afternoon.

The ten-year-old was recording his first win since August 2015 when claiming the Like Navan On Facebook Handicap, run over just shy of six furlongs.

Killian Hennessy was rowing along on Evanna McCutcheon's charge at halfway but he found another gear passing the furlong pole and soon hit the front.

The 6/1 shot held his rivals at bay close home to record a half length success over Kupa River

Maarek was recording his 14th career victory with the highlight coming when he landed the Group 1 Prix de L'Abbaye in October 2013.

“He’s been running well all year, although I think the handicapper was hard on him the last day (raised 7lb). He’s a tough old soldier, and it’s nice to get to the end of the year with a run like that,” said McCutcheon.

“It’s just a matter of getting the ground and getting the right track.

“Killian gave him a great ride, and Seamie (Heffernan) had confidence in him all year but couldn’t ride him the last day. Killian has been riding work and rode him like Seamie as he’s a horse that you have to get inside his head.

“He buried me on Monday so he still has every bit of it, and will definitely be back next year.”

(Quotes by Alan Magee)

1st
6/1
Tote €3.80 €2.00
2nd
0.5L
10/1
€4.30
3rd
nk
12/1
€4.20
4th
0.5L
8/1
bf
1.75L
9/2Fav
About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.