Felix Yonger bags second Hilly Way Chase

Narrow winner of the race in Cork last year, the Willie Mullins-trained Felix Yonger gained his second Kerry Group Hilly Way Chase success when the rescheduled Grade 2 event proved the feature of yesterday’s eight-race card in Navan.

First leg of a double for Ruby Walsh and owners Graham and Andrea Wylie, and the first of three winners on the day for Willie Mullins, Felix Yonger tacked the leaders throughout and switched to the outside between the last two fences, picked up well to lead before rising at the final obstacle. And, driven clear, he stayed on to beat Bright New Dawn by two and a half lengths.

Willie Mullins commented: “He was very good because that isn’t his ground. Christmas will come too soon, so we’ll look for something over two or two and a half miles for him in the New Year. We’ll keep him at home.”