Luckless Nicola Currie hoping talented Navello can help prompt a career reboot

Nicola Currie is hoping victory in the Lily Agnes on Navello can help reboot her career after a frustrating couple of seasons.

Currie has struck up a good rapport with the George Boughey-trained juvenile, with three of her five wins this year coming on the speedy colt.

The pair brought up the hat-trick with the minimum of fuss in the May meeting opener, which was reduced to just four runners after three withdrawals.

"The way he's jumped and travelled round here, I was laughing in the first furlong," Currie said. "It was just a case of whether he would gallop out on this ground and he's done just that."

Currie rode 81 winners in 2018 but her total dropped to 48 in 2019 and just 23 last year.

"I had an injury [in 2019] and it's been really hard to rediscover the momentum. There's always someone coming through the ranks and I just had to get my head down and, thankfully, horses like him help you get going again."

Nicola Currie: rode a career-best 81 winners in 2018 but Navello's success was just her fourth of 2021Credit: Getty Images

Navello might have earned a trip to Royal Ascot as part of Boughey's expanding two-year-old team but Sandown is next on the agenda.

"He was very green when he first ran at Bath, but he's a bit of a pro now," the trainer said. "We'll go to the National Stakes next as it seems the obvious place to go with him."

Bound for Ascot

Showalong could bid to give Tim Easterby a repeat success in one of last year's new races at Royal Ascot after winning the 5f handicap under David Allan.

"He likes that softer ground and the race at Royal Ascot we won with Art Power last year over the stiff five [Palace Of Holyroodhouse] could suit him," said Easterby's son William.

Showalong: the sprinter is set for Royal Ascot nextCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"After that, he could be one for the big three-year-old sprint handicap at York as one of his owners is an official at the track."

Local hero

Cheshire-based trainer Tom Dascombe celebrated victory at the meeting he cherishes most when Paws For Thought powered home in the 6f handicap.

The Carol Shaw-owned three-year-old was having his first run since being gelded and scored by two and a half lengths under Richard Kingscote.

The jockey said: "He jumped well, got himself into a nice pocket and travelled strongly. The boss had him nice and fresh and has done a good job with him.

"It’s a nice relief to get a winner on the first day for Tom because it’s an important meeting for him and it takes the pressure off."

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