'The ability is still there' - Tiger Roll team happy with festival prep at Navan

Saturday: Navan

Tiger Roll beat only two home in the 2m4f handicap hurdle won by The Very Man at Navan on Saturday, but Gordon Elliott was upbeat afterwards and reiterated that the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase remained the ultimate aim for the legendary two-time Grand National winner.

It was Tiger Roll's first appearance since being pulled up in the Many Clouds Chase won by Protektorat at Aintree in early December and, despite fading after the last and trailing in 14th of the 16 finishers, Elliott felt there were more positives than negatives to be dissected from the display.

Elliott said: "I'm delighted with that. That will really help get him fit and I liked what I saw from him leaving the back straight. Cheltenham is and has always been the plan.

1.40 Navan: full result and replay

"The Boyne Hurdle is a week closer to Cheltenham than usual, so it's not ideal and I'm not sure whether we will go there or not. We'll see how he comes out of this and make a plan closer to the time."

When asked what he expected to see from the 12-year-old at Navan, Elliott replied: "I knew he would get tired and, to be perfectly honest, I didn't think the ground was going to be as bad as it was. It was quite tacky. Look, overall I was delighted with him and that is another step on the road back to Cheltenham."

Rob James, who was claiming 7lb, sang from a similar hymn sheet to Elliott and was more than pleased with the performance.

James said: "He felt great. He made a nice bit of ground after leaving the back straight, but he just hated the ground the whole way around. He enjoyed it more when I pulled him wide. The ability is still there, there is definitely something there."

Tiger Roll is chasing a sixth festival win in March, and a fourth in the Cross Country Chase, and bookmakers did not read too much into his finishing position at Navan. Paddy Power left him unchanged at 6-1, while William Hill cut him to 5-1 (from 6).

The Very Man: 20-1 winner of the feature race under Sean O'KeeffeCredit: Patrick McCann

The race itself was won by a former Elliott inmate in 20-1 shot The Very Man, who is now in the care of Jessica Harrington.

Assistant trainer Kate Harrington said: "That was brilliant. He actually scoped dirty the last day. He swallowed a lump of clay and we had to wash out his throat it was so bad.

"They should have a bit of excitement with him. We might try and line up the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham for him. We might give him a bit of a break now, go to Cheltenham and then go to Aintree as well."

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