Exciting Son Of Ocovango Makes Winning Rules Debut

Pricey point-to-point purchase Percy Warner (4g Ocovango - Fugal Maid, by Winged Love) made a winning rules debut in Friday’s two mile maiden hurdle at Navan.

Successful in a four-year-old maiden at Umma House in October, the bay returned to Gordon Elliott after selling to Basil Holian for £100,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale and was well-supported on his first start for his new owner. He was ridden to track the leaders by Jack Kennedy and produced a challenge approaching the second last, improving to lead at the final flight. Keeping on well under pressure, he held off the favourite by three parts of a length, as the pair drew 15 lengths clear of the field.

Kennedy was full of praise for the winner, saying, “Percy Warner did it very well. He probably wants a bit further but he's not slow either, we sprinted down over the last two. He's a lovely horse.”

Bred by Robert McCarthy, Percy Warner hails from the first crop of Beeches Stud sire Ocovango, which also includes Listed hurdle winner Langer Dan.