Geraghty pounces on Panther

Gold Cup winning jockey Barry Geraghty was seen at his strongest when landing the featured Irish Stallion Farms Novice Handicap Chase Final on the Paul Nolan-trained Panther Claw in extremely testing ground in Navan yesterday.

The seven-year-old grey, in the colours of Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud, battled tenaciously on the run-in to outstay Philip Rothwell’s Saoirse Dun by a length and threequarters, with King Of The Refs third and favourite Wise Oscar last of only four finishers from a field of 16.

Winning trainer Nolan explained: “Everything went right form, particularly the ground. He’s a slow horse. But he jumps and handles those conditions really well. He’s a dour galloper.