Hollow Games stars with Monksfield success

Hollow Games looked an exciting prospect when justifying prohibitive odds in the John Lynch Carpets & Flooring Monksfield Novice Hurdle at Navan.

The 2-5 favourite had started at an even more restrictive 1-9 when making a successful debut over the smaller obstacles at Down Royal last month, after wins in two bumpers and a point to point.

The five-year-old, trained by Gordon Elliott, took the Grade Three over two and a half miles in his stride as he extended his perfect record.

Wowsham shared the early running with Hollow Games, in what was only a sedate pace until the field closed up coming to the third-last where Wowsham was the first beaten.

Ridden by Davy Russell, Hollow Games held all the aces and was always in command – powering over the last on the way to scoring by two and a quarter lengths from Lunar Display.

Elliott said: “He’s a nice horse, it turned into a sprint. Davy said after the race ‘he’s not as slow as you think he is, when it turned into a sprint he quickened, put his head out and galloped’.

“I was worried as they went no gallop, but he will have learned a lot there. I think he’ll go to Naas now (Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle).

“He’s a horse that races behind the bridle, but he’s a real nice horse.

“It’s great for Noel and Valerie (Moran, owners) as it’s local and it’s on television today.”

Hollow Games was cut to 8-1 from 9-1 for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with Betfair and Paddy Power.