Treble for Noel Meade at Navan

Castletown trainer Noel Meade was the man to follow at Navan on Sunday where he maintained his recent good form and recorded a treble. Meade is now on 33 winners for the season and is in second place in the race for the national hunt trainers' title behind Willie Mullins who has a lead of 24 at this stage of the season. Aitmatov (10/1) defied top-weight to win the Lismullen Hurdle for Paul Carberry, but the task was made easier when closest rival Oscar Dan Dan came to grief at the second last. Carberry was left in a clear lead and Aitmatov stayed on for a seven-length win over 5/4 favourite Noble Prince. "I'm delighted for the owner John O'Meara who is unwell at the moment," said Meade who was patrolling the sidelines at nearby Simonstown Gaels GAA club on Saturday night as manager of a trainers' team in a charity game. (See page seven for details). "Aitmatov will probably take his chance in the Hatton's Grace now, he's there to be beaten on heavy ground." Meade added to his tally when Oscar Looby (5/1) benefited from the fall of Catch Me at the last fence to take the novice chase by two lengths from Caim Hill. "That's two wins from two over fences now and he looked an unlikely winner each time, I suppose the Drinmore is a possibility now," stated Meade. Meade completed the hat-trick when Perfect Smile landed the conluding bumper for Nina Carberry who sent the even money favourite to the front early in the straight for an easy seven-length win over King Rufo. "We were a little disappointed with him the last day, but he has improved since then and will probably go hurdling next," suggested the Castletown man. Gordon Elliott was also on the mark when he won the opening race with Ballymak for Davy Russell who was in front before the sixth and kept on well from the last. "He's a lovely horse and you won't see the best of him until he's in front of a fence over three miles," stated Elliott. Roger Loughran was in the winners enclosure at Down Royal on Saturday when he conjured a terrific late effort from Pistol Jack to get up close home in a handicap hurdle. Ashbourne jockey Andrew Lynch was out of luck in the big race at the Ulster track where The Listener produced a terrific front-running performance to land the JNwine.com Champion Chase. Lynch and Notre Pere crashed out at the fifth last. Stamullen trainer Peter Casey and jockey Keagan Latham combined to win a handicap with 12/1 shot Dotada at Dundalk on Saturday night. Declan McDonogh was also on the mark for the Henry De Bromhead stable. Johnny Murtagh was out in Santa Anita, California where he won the opening Marathon on Friday night with Man of Iron for trainer Aidan O'Brien in the Breeders' Cup meeting. O'Brien and Murtagh were unable to follow up when Lillie Langtry finished well down the field in the Juvenile Fillies Turf while Mastercraftsman finished fourth after a troubled passage in the home straight. Rip Van Winkle also finished out of the frame. Ballymacoll Stud were on the mark when Conduit won the Breeders Cup Turf.