Aodhan May takes advantage of a lower hurdle rating at Navan

Philip Bynes experienced a nail-biting moment during the 2m6f handicap hurdle race at Navan while riding Aodhan May. However, Bynes skillfully guided the horse to a resounding victory.

The 16/1 outsider gradually made its presence felt and boldly challenged Clear The Clouds in the final stages of the race. Just before the last hurdle, Aodhan May took the lead but veered to the left, obstructing Clear The Clouds. Despite the momentary setback, Aodhan May recovered and crossed the finish line ahead, with Bynes steering her home with a comfortable four-length lead.

Full Noise consistently maintained a prominent position throughout the race but seemed to struggle between the final two flights. However, with renewed vigour, the horse rallied and secured a commendable second place, defying the odds after being heavily backed from 22/1 to 9/1. Clear The Clouds, one of the favourites at 4/1, finished half a length behind in third place.

Reflecting on the race, Charles Byrnes commented, "Aodhan May performs well on this type of ground, and that's the key factor. She faced significant interference at Fairyhouse, which compromised her chances near the second last hurdle. Otherwise, she would have definitely finished closer. Her initial rating was 82, but she achieved a rating of 92 over fences."