Rawnaq Protects Home Turf in Iroquois Hurdle

U.S.-trained Rawnaq held off two Irish invaders to win a thrilling edition of the $200,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois Hurdle Stakes (NSA-I) May 14 at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tenn.

Under a ground-saving trip from Jack Doyle, Rawnaq led at every point of call in the three-mile test, holding off Irish invaders Nichols Canyon and Shaneshill to score a neck victory over the latter. Nichols Canyon, who won five stakes in Ireland last year, and two-time stakes winner Shaneshill are both conditioned by champion Irish jumps trainer Willie Mullins.

"That was great. He jumped brilliantly and galloped all the way to the line," Doyle said. "He was probably getting a little bit lonely in front and when the other horse came to me he picked up again. It is amazing as we were coming here today as underdogs a little bit but (winning trainer Cyril Murphy) said he never had the horse better and he was right."

In earning his biggest career victory, Irvin Naylor's Rawnaq is eligible for a $500,000 bonus should he ship to Cheltenham and win the 2017 Ryanair World Hurdle. The Brown Advisory Iroquois Cheltenahm Challenge bonus was put together to celebrate the 75th edition of the Iroquois. Naylor plans to target the Ryanair World Hurdle.

"He is the best and I think he will represent the U.S. well at Cheltenham," Naylor said. "I look forward to going forward with this challenge."

That bonus opportunity helped motivate Mullins to send his two starters, but Rawnaq had enough to hold off late challenges from both. First Nichols Canyon, who boasts stakes wins in jump races in England, France, and Ireland, challenged to his outside in the long, uphill final turn. Rawnaq would repel that challenge but victory was still not ensured.

Shaneshill found more in deep stretch but Rawnaq would prove game, just holding off his accomplished rival. Rawnaq, a 9-year-old Irish-bred son of Azamour, completed the three-mile test in 5:42 2/5.

"There were so many good horses in the race and our jockey rode a superb race," Naylor said. "He was always in the right place at the right time. The horse jumped flawlessly and the trainer had him tuned to the highest level. It all came together for this most important race. Rawnaq gave it all and you cannot ask for more of a horse than to give his all."

Beginning his career in Europe, Rawnaq placed in a pair of steeplechase stakes races in England in 2013  before winning a novice stakes race over jumps last year in Ireland. Moved to the U.S. last year for his current connections, Rawnaq placed in both the Grand National Hurdle (NSA-I) and Colonial Cup (NSA-I) stakes.

He opened his 2016 season last month with a victory in the Temple Gwathmey Hurdle Handicap (NSA-III) before scoring the biggest victory of his career Saturday at Percy Warner.

"Satisfying, isn't it? He was in the form of his life coming here. He was not going to improve over what he did today. We were riding to win today and we got what we deserved," Murphy said. "There is now 10 months of thinking to do. We will see. We have a lot of things to overcome to get (to Cheltenham) but it is nice that we can if we want to. I think he would be good enough."

Demonstrative, champion steeplechaser of 2014 and winner of the the 2013 and 2015 editions of the Iroquois Hurdle, stalked early but faded to fifth. Veteran Pierrot Lunaire, champion steeplechaser of 2012 and winner of the 2009 Irquois Hurdle, was outrun early and pulled up at the 15th fence.

Mullins said he enjoyed the trip over, despite coming up just short.

"I was absolutely delighted with the efforts of the racecourse staff who made the ground just right," Mullins said. "Nichols Canyon did not jump that well and maybe wasn't best suited by going left-handed, while Shaneshill ran a big race. However, for both horses this was probably one race too many, but we look forward to returning next year."