Crowe on a high after Hill’s last-gasp success

JOCKEY Alan Crowe completed back-to-back wins in the valuable Ladbrokes.com Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan yesterday, getting the Christy Ruche-trained 10/1 shot Groody Hill up close home to foil Ad Idem, with Cross Appeal third after making a costly mistake at the final fence.

Raised 19lb. for wins at Punchestown and Wexford, and tackling three miles for the first time, the five-year-old Alderbrook gelding looked destined for third spot jumping the final obstacle. But a combination of Cross Appeal’s mistake, Ad Idem’s tendency to idle and tire and Crowe’s persistence contributed to Groody Hill’s tenacious half-length win.

Frank Berry, representing winning owner J P McManus (who enjoyed a treble at Navan and another success at Wexford), was quick to pay tribute to winning rider Crowe, who guided Jack The Bus to victory last year, explaining: “Alan deserves a lot of the credit. This horse has been a bit tricky from day one and Alan has done a lot of the work to sort him out. Neither horse nor rider gave up today, although I thought he’d finish third jumping the last.”