On a superb weekend of action on both sides of the Irish Sea, the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle at Navan was probably the most anticipated race of all.

You had the dual Stayers Hurdle winner Flooring Porter making his return. You had the highly talented Bob Olinger coming back over hurdles in a bid to get his career back on track.

And you had the up-and-coming Zanahiyr looking to make a statement on only his second try at the two-and-a-half-mile trip.

However, as is so often the case in racing, the various scripts were ripped apart by a horse few would have given any chance beforehand, in the Joseph O’Brien-trained Home By The Lee, who came through to spoil the day for Bob Olinger.

Not that that mattered to the winner’s owner Sean O’Driscoll, who as you may have guessed by the name of his horse, hails from the Rebel county. Joyous in the winners’ enclosure, O’Driscoll poked a little fun when he said: “Absolutely delighted. Coming to Co Meath in particular, I’ll always remember 1967 when they took Cork out! So, bringing the trophy back from Meath is great!”

Talented operator

Home By The Lee is a talented operator on his day but this was certainly an upset. Henry de Bromhead, Bob Olinger’s trainer didn’t know what to make of it all after the race when he suggested that if the horse had been beaten by one of his two main rivals, they would have felt fine.

In general, de Bromhead has had a very good start to the jumps season proper, and that has been heartening for everyone in racing following the tragedy his family have gone through.

The Waterford trainer took the other Grade 2 on the Navan card, the Fortria Chase, with the Rachael Blackmore-ridden Captain Guinness.

That success followed on from Envoi Allen’s win in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal two weeks ago, and de Bromhead and Blackmore are odds-on for more glory when Gold Cup hero A Plus Tard bids to make it back-to-back wins in the Betfair Chase at Haydock this Saturday.

Elsewhere this weekend, Willie Mullins is hoping to learn more about his various Champion Hurdle contenders in the Grade 1 Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown.

Mullins has seven of the 11 entries for the race which include Cheltenham Festival winners Vauban, State Man and Sir Gerhard.