Colins treble

Colins double brought off a remarkable weekend treble at an eventful Navan fixture yesterday.

A steeplechase winner at Punchestown two weeks ago and a scorer on the Flat at Fairyhouse a week later, Colins Double picked up a hurdle pot yesterday when easily making all in the BASF Hurdle under David Casey.

"You go where the opportunities are but he just loves this ground," said the gelding's trainer, local permit holder Cathal McCarthy.

"He's a big horse that has needed time and maybe the GPT at Galway could be his race," added McCarthy.

Casey went on to complete a double on Torduff Boy who was just the second choice of Paul Nolan's runners in the market for the handicap chase.

The winner's stable companion, and favourite, Frostbitten slipped up after the fourth last and brought down Borzov. A total of five horses in all bit the dust at this point of the chase track and the wing of the fence was subsequently widened for the hunters chase.

"The ground was a little greasy and they were going a little quicker than usual," explained clerk of the course Joe Collins.

The hunters chase had its own drama when Uncle Arthur was forced out of the race by a loose horse before the last fence and victory ultimately went to Raheenboy.

The grey was a first winner for Co Westmeath-based permit holder Mary Whelehan who remarked: "This makes all those 5.45 morning starts worthwhile!"

Barry Geraghty and Norman Williamson will have less happy memories of the day as they both were stood down after taking heavy falls in the second race.

It cost Williamson a winner as Keeping The Faith subsequently won the Beginners Chase, with Ruby Walsh substituting.

The Noel Meade/Paul Carberry team struck twice with the decent ex-flat horses Fnan and Canon Can in the first two contests.

Northumberland trainer Alistair Charlton made his first visit to Downpatrick a winning one on Saturday when saddling King Bavard to win the bumper.

Carrying the colours of last year's winning owner, Raymond Anderson Green, the gelding took it up after the two furlong pole to score by 15 lengths.