Place gets home to complete five-timer in Boyne Hurdle

Sutton Place wore down stable companion De Plotting Shed to claim top honours in the Ladbrokes Ireland Boyne Hurdle at Navan.Sutton Place was the 4-6 favourite to secure a fifth successive victory and eventually did so in good style under Barry Geraghty.Rank outsider Milsean took the field along for much of the two-mile-five-furlong journey, but was a spent force at the top of the home straight.Thomas Hobson briefly hit the front, but De Plotting Shed took over at the third-last.He was followed through by Sutton Place, Supasundae and Renneti, but it was Gordon Elliott's pair who would fight out the finish, with Sutton Place quickening up well under hand driving to score by three and three-quarter lengths. Elliott, who also won the Flyingbolt Novice Chase with Ball D'Arc, said: "He's a nice horse and he's a big chaser in the making, really. I'd say that ground just wasn't ideal for him, but he showed his class. "We were riding him maybe a little negatively with the trip. Barry said he's a horse that you'd be better off grabbing a hold of and riding a race. He was a bit sloppy with his jumping because we wanted him relaxed. "Chasing will be his game and whatever he does this year will be a bonus. "There isn't a whole lot for him and we might look at the race in Fairyhouse for him (Grade Two Ballybin Hurdle)." When asked if he could be supplemented for one of the races in Cheltenham, Elliott added: "No, definitely not." Elliott stretched his lead in the race to be crowned this season's champion National Hunt trainer in Ireland by also taking the Flyingbolt Novice Chase withBall D'Arc and the Race Displays Event Signage (Pro/Am) Flat Race with 2-7 favourite Poli Roi. He said of the latter: "He's a nice horse but he's a horse for next year - a horse for down the road. We like him a lot and Jamie (Codd) said he'd come on a good bit from it as he had a good blow. He's a fair horse. "He's a stayer like all the horses that Eddie (O'Leary) buys. He might run again, I'm not sure. We'll see how he comes out of it. Jamie said he'd definitely come on from the run so we'd be happy with that. "It's a good day again, so we're happy enough." Gillian Callaghan's smart staying chaser Mad Brian (12-1) is set for a second tilt at the Midlands National at Uttoxeter after making the most of his significantly lower mark over the smaller obstacles when bolting up in the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle under Danny Hand. Miss Mardan was an 11-4 winner of the Get Your 2017 Navan Membership Maiden Hurdle, while Miles To Memphis struck gold at 25-1 in the P.S. Supplies Doors & Floors Handicap Hurdle.