Kalypso'chance cut to 7-1 favourite for Champion Bumper after impressive win in Listed race with illustrious roll of honour

Patrick Mullins admitted Kalypso'chance is better than anything his father Willie has unleashed in bumpers so far this season as he added his name to an illustrious roll of honour that includes Don Cossack and Samcro with an emphatic victory in the Listed bumper. 

It was a rare spare from the Gordon Elliott stable for champion amateur Mullins as Harry Swan, the retained amateur in the Cullentra camp, chose Classical Creek, who could finish only third behind his flashy stablemate. 

Paddy Power reacted by trimming Kalypso'chance to 7-1 favourite (from 8) for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper and it is very hard to argue with his place at the top of that market after this stylish success, which followed a 15-length romp at Punchestown on John Durkan day last month. 

"That was a very good performance and he's a lovely horse. He's better than any bumper horse we've brought out so far anyway," Mullins said in the aftermath of the four-and-a-half length victory. 

Elliott was impressed, too, and said: "I'd say he's a smart horse. He quickened really well. It was a nice race and I was happy with him. Patrick said he's a fair horse and we'll probably end up going to Leopardstown all being well."

Old times for Bowe

The Bowe family is synonymous with front-running legends like Limestone Lad and Solerina, and Glen Kiln carried out those sort of tactics to a tee in the 2m4f handicap hurdle under a well-judged ride from Brian Hayes. 

John Bowe, representing brother Michael, who is in hospital at the moment, said: "He's from Sweet Kiln and Limestone Lad's family. We had great luck with them around this track years ago so it's great to be back here. We haven't had a winner at Navan for many years.

"He's only five. We love him and he's a horse for the future."

Right Place, right time

It was a day when not only memories of Limestone Lad and Solerina were evoked but the mighty Danoli, too, as the late great Tom Foley’s son Pat sent out Verdant Place to win the 3m handicap chase under a terrific ride from Simon Torrens. 

Foley said: "It was brilliant to get it. Fair play to Simon, that's his third win on him now. He's probably not the most straightforward horse in the world but Simon really knows him inside out. I don't tell him anything, away he goes."

He won at 3-1, having been double that price earlier in the day. 

Cromwell flying

There was extra prize-money pumped into this meeting at Navan courtesy of the Irish EBF, who sponsored the entire card and ensured none of the seven races had a purse of less than €20,000. It also doubled the money on offer for the best-turned-out prizes in each race, which went down a storm with stable staff. 

Gavin Cromwell continued his cracking form with a double thanks to 10-1 shot Midnight It Is in the 2m handicap chase and 10-11 favourite Individualiste in the 2m4½f handicap chase. The duo made it ten winners in the last fortnight for him.

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