Navan Racecourse hosts its final meeting of the Flat season on Wednesday with an eight-race card for punters heading to the track. Racing at the County Meath venue gets underway at 1.30pm with an auction maiden contest before the meeting comes to a close at 5.25pm with a 47-65 rated handicap. The latest tips and a full meeting preview of courtesy of BoyleSports, who offer the latest Irish Horse Racing odds.
The opening contest on the Navan card sees a field of 19 two-year-old’s head to the stalls for the auction maiden sales race, worth €10,800 to the winner. Mathan was purchased for a hefty 215,000 Guineas as a yearling and showed promise when fourth of 18 on debut at the Curragh 25 days ago and should have more to offer for trainer Joseph O’Brien. Bodhi Bear is a well-bred Starspangledbanner colt that was second at Naas ten days ago so should be bang up there once again, dropping back in trip.
A 47-70 rated handicap marks race two on the Navan card, this time for three-year-olds and older and a big field of 20 are set to tackle the five furlong sprint (2.00). Saturn Seven for trainer Ed Lynam is one to consider here, a close second at the Curragh on his penultimate start but beaten by the re-opposing Art Of Unity back at that track six days ago. His Muredach Kelly-trained rival represents the principal threat in this one, two wins from six this year but has to shoulder a penalty courtesy of that win at the Curragh last week.
Eleven runners will take on the five furlong maiden contest which is race three on the card (2.35). The powerhouse Aidan O’Brien yard is represented here by Snapdragon, who remains a maiden after nine attempts but has shown an uptick in form recently, including a fourth at Naas on his last spin so could finally get off the mark here. Turners Cross was a runner-up over course and distance last month so is expected to be a major player once again this time around for trainer Jessica Harrington.
Trailer Lynam holds a strong hand in race four (3.10) with Beatrix Power, who looks the one to beat in another five furlong maiden off the back of a fine third at Down Royal last time out, while race five on the card (3.45) can go the way of Mickey The Steel for Joseph Murray, a previous course and distance winner that has been eased 1lb in the weights after a fourth of seven in a Bellewstown handicap but these are a bit calmer waters.
Eleven runners will head to post for the one mile and six furlong maiden contest at 4.20 to mark race six of the day, where useful Jumps winner Pinkerton makes a Flat debut for trainer Noel Meade, last seen when winning a 22-runner handicap chase contest at Galway.
The penultimate contest on the Navan card is up next at 4.50 and is a 20-runner handicap for horses rated between 47 and 65 which can go the way of Tudor Manor, a winner at Leopardstown in may and a good second at Listowel on his last spin, while the finale (5.25) is in division two of the same discipline and preference here heads the way of Young Lucy, a previous bumper winner that was fourth in a Sligo handicap 77 days ago, which is the best form on offer in the card-closing contest.
Navan selections – Wednesday 23rd October 2024
1.30 – Mathan
2.00 – Saturn Severn
2.35 – Snapdragon
3.10 – Beatrix Power
3.45 – Mickey The Steel
4.20 – Pinkerton
4.50 – Tudor Manor
5.25 – Young Lucy
