Warrior scores easy victory
Bog Warrior
Exciting prospect Bog Warrior justified cramped odds of 1-5 in the BBA Ireland Limited Opera Hat Novice Chase at Naas.
His task was made easier by the late withdrawals of Blackstairmountain and Donnas Palm, and Davy Russell dictated matters from the front on Tony Martin's rising star, who fell on his last start.
Jumping safely rather than exuberantly, Bog Warrior never came off the bridle in beating Slieveardagh by 11 lengths, and Martin can now look to the future.
The trainer said: "I'm very relieved and he's back on track. There'd been no signs that his fall had affected him in his schooling. He jumped grand today. Davy thought his jumping was right enough.
"The ground will dictate where we go. He definitely likes to get into it, but once there's yielding in it I'd be happy to take my chance. Where next I don't know. We'll get him back and see how he is because he did put his back out when he fell.
"I wouldn't be that bothered about missing Cheltenham this year as next year I see him as a Lexus horse in soft ground. He's definitely a winter horse."
Barry Geraghty missed his two scheduled rides after injuring his elbow schooling on Saturday morning, and he will have to pass the doctor if he is to ride at Leopardstown.
Andrew Lynch rode Slieveardagh in the Opera Hat Novice Chase, while Andrew McNamara took the mount on Shinrock Paddy in the beginners chase.
Geraghty tweeted: "Got a bang on the elbow riding out this morning, unfortunately I have to miss Naas today but will be back in action at Leopardstown tomorrow."
