FULLY FUNDED put up a game, front-running performance to take the Monksfield Novice Hurdle at Navan yesterday.

Noel Meade’s five-year-old looked like having to settle for second when Ballyburke ranged alongside at the second-last.

However, he could find no more and Fully Funded (6 to 1) found extra for Davy Condon to pull away and stay on for a four-and- a-half-length victory.

Gift Of Dgab made good late progress to push Ballyburke into third spot.

“We bought him at the Newmarket Sales, having previously been rated 98, and something of a nearly horse on the Flat in France,” said Meade.

“He ran a good race on his first run for us but, like a lot of French-breds, then went back and disappointed before then winning at Wexford.

“I fancied him today and told the lads (More The Merrier Syndicate) that he’d win. He may come back for the Grade One Navan Novice Hurdle here next – he can improve from this win.”

Jack The Bus (9 to 1) outpointed Glenquest in a hard-fought finish to the Troytown Handicap Chase.

Alan Crowe brought Peter Casey’s gelding on to the scene at the second-last but the always-prominent Glenquest made him fight every inch of the way.

There was little between them over the last two fences, but Jack The Bus proved the stronger to win by three-quarters of a length, with Lochan Lacha third and Siegemaster fourth.

“Jack The Bus ran well in the Cork National the last day and was entitled to have a big chance here,” said Casey.

“He made one bad mistake but it had little effect on him. He wants really heavy ground and, tomorrow morning, I’ll have to enter him for the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.”

Jack The Bus was completing a fine couple of hours for owner Séamus Murphy, in whose colours Hello Bud won the Becher Chase at Aintree over the National fences. Both horses were bred by Casey.

Hello Bud was a gallant winner for the father and son team of Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies in an eventful race.

The 15 to 2 favourite made the bulk of the running in the hands of his 18-year-old rider, who was successful last weekend in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on his father’s Little Josh.

He was headed briefly by Ballyvesey three out, but that one could not keep up the gallop and Hello Bud went on again.

The race was far from over though, as Brian Hughes brought Royal Rosa with what looked a perfectly-timed run.

Hello Bud found more on the long run to the line and won by a length and a quarter from Royal Rosa with One Cool Cookie 10 lengths away third and Ballyvesey fourth.

Paddy Power and William Hill gave Hello Bud a 33 to 1 quote for the Grand National back over the big fences in April while Coral go 25 to 1 from 50s.

Twiston-Davies senior said: “What an excitement that was, I thought we were going have a one-two but Irish Raptor made that mistake at the second-last.

“Hello Bud is made for these fences and we will definitely come back and have another try at the National in the spring.

“Our worry was that he wouldn’t get in, but he will now. He prefers good ground, and although we have put him in the Welsh National, unless we get an Indian winter the ground is unlikely to be right for him there.

“But the race at Warwick (Tote Classic) in January is another possibility for him.”

The jockey said: “He jumped from fence to fence and travelled like a superstar. When Ballyvesey passed me I just tried to save a little bit turning for home and save the stick for as long as possible.”

However, Twiston-Davies was suspended for five days (December 5th-9th inclusive) for using his whip with excessive frequency and in the wrong place.

Owner Graham Wylie was delighted with Royal Rosa’s performance under Brian Hughes and trainer Howard Johnson’s assistant Ray Hawkey said: “That was a good run. I know Howard wants to run him in the Grand National but the problem is whether he will get in or not, and if Denman runs there are going to be a lot of horses out of the handicap, including our horse.”

Patrick Mangan – son of Grand National-winning trainer Jimmy Mangan – took a very heavy fall from Whatuthink at the first fence, but fortunately he was reported to have suffered only soft tissue injuries to his face. He was taken to the local hospital for further examination.