Eastern Legend is rare winner over jumps for Jim Bolger at Navan

Veteran trainer Jim Bolger saddled his first winner under National Hunt rules since Annie Power won a bumper in August 2012 when Eastern Legend was successful at Navan.

Eastern Legend (1-2 favourite) had finished third to Romeo Coolio in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Christmas and was still going well enough when departing four from home at the Dublin Racing Festival in the race won by Kopek Des Bordes.

Down markedly in grade for the first division of the Mongey Communications Maiden Hurdle, he had little trouble in finally breaking his maiden under Keith Donoghue.

Bolger has had two seconds since Annie Power, who went on to win the Champion Hurdle for Willie Mullins, won a Wexford bumper.

Donoghue believes the four-and-a-half-length winner could be a likely type for the Galway Hurdle.

“He jumped well early on and even at the first two down the back, when I was on my own, he jumped them well but then at the fourth-last he missed it and he was a bit slow over the third-last,” said Donoghue.

“He was good at the last two in the straight and he’s well able to jump, sometimes he just lacks a bit of confidence.

“He had good form in Grade Ones and on his rating he was entitled to do that.”

He added: “Knowing Colm O’Rourke (GAA pundit), that’s my association there (with Bolger). I’d say if I didn’t win on him today Colm might have put me on the bench!

“I think he can keep going during the summer and I think on a bit of nicer ground he can improve.

“He could end up being a Galway Hurdle type of horse if his jumping shaped up to jump in a race like that and Galway came up on the better side.”