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Classy eight-year-old gets the better of Samcro at Navan.

Notebook  returned to form with a convincing victory in the Grade Two Tote Fortria Chase at Navan.

Henry de Bromhead's eight-year-old made most of the running as he accounted for Samcro, in the same ownership of Gigginstown House Stud, by 10 lengths.

Samcro looked a big danger two out, but Rachael Blackmore got a big jump out of Notebook and the 8-15 favourite bounded clear.

Winner of the Irish Arkle, this was Notebook's first victory since he struck at this level in the Poplar Square Chase at Naas almost 12 months ago, after which he took on the best at Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Aintree without success.

De Bromhead said: "I'm delighted with that, he was really good and jumped great. He was brilliant.

"It was an ideal race for him, he loves jumping and is such a class jumper – that's his forte.

"I thought we were struggling between the third-last and second-last, but he winged the second-last and was away again."

When asked if he could step up in trip, De Bromhead added: "I think we have to try it. He's in the John Durkan so we could have a look at that.

"He won really well at Naas first time last year and then it was just Chacun Pour Soi, that was the problem after that. He's a very good horse in his own right and I think everyone is keen to try him over further."

Ginto (30-100 favourite) confirmed the promise of his point-to-point and bumper form with a winning debut in the Kilberry Pub & Kitchen Maiden Hurdle.

Making all under Jack Kennedy, the Gordon Elliott-trained five-year-old appreciated the two-and-a-half-mile trip to score by five and a half lengths from Benny The Duke.

"Jack said it was like a piece of work for him, he wasn't doing a stroke going around there on his own. It's job done," said Elliott.

"He's got very strong, he's a big bull, and he needs to get out, get a bit of work, and get going.

"He's probably going to be more of a staying horse. It's grand to start the day off well."

Ginto was cut to 25-1 from 33-1 for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham with Paddy Power.

Elliott completed a double when Buddy Rich (5-1) got off the mark over fences in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase.

The eight-year-old had run second in his four previous starts over fences and got his head in front by being seeing off Ballyadam by four lengths under Davy Russell.

The first two had the finish between them, after Wide Receiver and Hannon fell independently at the penultimate obstacle. Wide Receiver's fall sadly proved fatal for the six-year-old, while Kennedy was taken to hospital for X-rays on a suspected broken arm.

"He's been a great horse, he runs well every day, and it's great for John (Keegan) as it's the first horse he's had with us. He's local and he's a good fella," said Elliott. "He doesn't want real soft ground so as soon as the ground goes we'll leave him off.

"It's obviously bittersweet with the other horse, who was running a good race too."

The Elliott yard brought up a treble on the day when Gringo D'aubrelle (4-6 favourite) ran out an impressive winner of the bumper under Jamie Codd.

Elliott said: "He's a nice horse. I fancied him in a bumper at Thurles and he came home lame, and then he blew up the last day when he was beaten by a good horse of Charles Byrnes'."