Mullins has strong Navan hand
Run as a Grade Two this season having lost its top-level status, Mullins has won the race for the last three years with Boston Bob, Pont Alexandre and Briar Hill.
Boston Bob and Briar Hill are owned by Graham Wylie, as is Shaneshill, whose only defeat in five starts under Rules came in the Cheltenham Bumper.
Outlander, owned by Gigginstown House Stud, missed last season but returned to action with a smooth success at Fairyhouse.
The Gigginstown-owned Killer Crow claimed a decent race at Naas last month on just his second try over hurdles.
Killultagh Vic was another of Mullins’ smart bumper horses last season and was sixth at Cheltenham and fifth at Punchestown. He also won on his hurdling debut.
Gigginstown have also entered the Gordon Elliott-trained No More Heroes, who was a late absentee from a Grade Three at Cork last weekend.
Lord Scoundrel, Pulled Mussel, Sizing John, Shantou Flyer, Couleur France, Draco and Fort Smith have also been entered.
Meanwhile, The Tullow Tank was found to be suffering from an inflammatory lung infection after his below-par display in the Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.
Sent off the 7-4 favourite for the best renewal of the Grade One in many years, the Sandra Hughes-trained six-year-old could finish only fifth behind Valseur Lido and was subsequently sent for tests.
“We’ve got the results back and he was suffering from an inflammatory lung infection,” said owner Barry Connell (pictured).
“That would also probably account for the elevated heart rate he had.
“He’s obviously picked it up somewhere, but it’s nothing serious.
“We’d hope to get him back on the track fairly soon, but it’s too early to say whether or not he’ll be running at Christmas (Topaz Novice Chase, Leopardstown).”
Enda Bolger reports that his exciting novice chaser Gilgamboa will be seen next at either Leopardstown or Limerick over the Christmas period.
Gilgamboa made the perfect start to his new career when winning at Navan comfortably from some decent rivals.
Winner of the www.Boylesports.com Hurdle last season, Bolger has high hopes he can take higher order over fences but a lack of opportunities is forcing him to go up in grade earlier than he may have liked.
“It looks like now it will be either Leopardstown or Limerick over Christmas,” said Bolger. “I won’t until much nearer the time.
“Leopardstown is a Grade One (Racing Post Novice Chase) and Limerick is a Grade Two (Greenmount Park Novice Chase).
“I’d rather not throw him in so early but the programme dictates it, there just aren’t enough races but everyone else is in the same boat.”
Princely Conn is likely to test his powers at a longer distance over the Festive period following an excellent run to finish third in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.
The talented bumper performer made an impressive start to his jumping career when carrying the colours of JP McManus to victory at Punchestown in mid-October, but he was a disappointing favourite on his next appearance at Navan.
However, he came home well to pick up minor honours behind the impressive Nichols Canyon at Grade One level and trainer Tom Mullins is looking forward to the rest of the campaign.
He said: “I was satisfied and happy enough with how he ran. He’s still learning and I thought he jumped well on Sunday.
“We’ll look to run him at Christmas time somewhere and after watching him the other day, we might stretch out in trip with him.
“We could go up an extra couple of furlongs or an extra half-mile, but we’ll see.
“We’ll probably run him somewhere over Christmas and then give him a break.”
