Local jockeys win at Navan

Ashbourne jockey Andrew Lynch was on the mark at Navan on Saturday when he guided the Jim Dreaper-trained Retrievethelegend to a comfortable victory in a handicap chase. On almost bottomless going, Lynch managed to squeeze a nine-length margin of victory out of the nine-year-old gelding which was winning for only the second time out of 24 starts. Lynch raced the grey gelding towards the rear in the early stages of the two and a half miles contest, but took closer order at the halfway stage. Lynch went for his race approaching the second last and stayed on well to hold off Colmanstown Hope which took the runner-up position. 'It"s great that he won here today, he"s been a very genuine horse,' commented the trainer about Retrievethelegend which won a chase at Naas last March.. 'He"s a small horse and that"s why we raced him on the outside to give him some chance with the heavy ground, but we have no set plan for him yet,' he added. Lynch could be on his travels after Christmas as Dreaper may run his Troytown Chase winner Notre Pere in the Welsh National at Chepstow on Saturday next although he also has an entry in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday. Tony Martin was also in the winners" enclosure at Navan when he won the Christmas Cracker Handicap Hurdle with Newbay Prop. Ridden by Paul Carberry, Newbay Prop drifted in the betting after opening at 7/4 favourite, but was still returned at 3/1 favourite. Carberry made his move approaching the home straight and kept on well to lead close home holding off the gambled on Christy Roche-trained Line Ball. 'The race worked out lucky enough in the end, but we will probably bypass Christmas,' stated Martin. 'There is a lovely race in Warwick in January coming up over three and a half miles that we might go for or maybe the Thyestes at Gowran Park at the end of January,' he added. Martin won the big race at Gowran in 2006 with Dun Doire which later went on to win at Cheltenham. Dun Doire made his seasonal re-appearance at Navan a couple of weeks ago in a hurdle race and may also be heading to Chepstow this weekend. The opening race at Navan, the Santa Claus Maiden Hurdle was won by the Mervyn Torrens-trained Quartetto, ridden by Navan jockey Andrew Thornton for his 15th winner which reduced his claim to five pounds. Thornton, who rode his first winner this year at Wexford, was also on the mark for the Tyrone trainer at Downpatrick on Friday in an Opportunity Handicap Hurdle with Arondo. At Navan on Saturday, Thornton improved his position to lead approaching the third last and kept on well to win by a comfortable 11 lengths as the Noel Meade-trained favourite, Quempton, finished down the field. 'I ride out for Mervyn Torrens and Pat Martin a few days a week, I would like to thank my agent Ruadhri Tierney who has been a great help to me,' commented Thornton.