The Flat is back in Ireland and Navan Racecourse hosts its first card of the season on Tuesday with a seven-race offering for punters heading to the track. The card kicks off at 2.10pm with a 0-60 rated handicap before it comes to a close at 5.20pm with a mile and a quarter handicap, with 20 runners set to take it on.
Read below to discover the latest tips and a full preview of the Navan card courtesy of BoyleSports, who offer the best Irish Grand National odds ahead of the showpiece race later this month.
Little Mi Mi got a bit stuck in the mud in Cork when last seen six months ago off the back of a second at Navan on her previous run so is taken to get back to winning ways on better ground in the opener (2.10). Hasinya for trainer John McConnell is back on the turf after a stint on the all-weather at Dundalk and rates the next best.
Race two on the card (2.40) is a maiden contest for horses aged three and older over the mile trip and powerhouse trainer Aidan O’Brien sends lightly-raced colt Mississippi River, perhaps not the strongest of his hugely powerful string but more than capable of winning a contest like this so gets the nod over Omni Man, trained by his son Joseph, off for 162 days following a third on debut at Galway having been picked up from France.
Seven runners will head to the start for the one mile and six furlong handicap (3.10) and the selection is a rare runner on the Flat for prominent jumps trainer Gordon Elliott with Mordor, who was last seen finishing sixth in the Martin Pipe and that form has to be taken seriously despite switching back to the level at Navan as he won’t be found wanting for race fitness.
Imarjan is taken to go one better than when second in a Curragh big-field handicap last time out as he lines up in race four of the day (3.40) when 12 runners take on the mile and three quarter handicap, while Dakota Blue sets a very high standard in race five (4.15) for trainer Johnny Murtagh and will be tough to beat off the back of a second when last seen 165 days ago.
The penultimate race on Tuesday’s card is a 14-runner apprentice handicap over the mile and a quarter trip (4.50) and while it is a tricky race to unpick, it could pay so side with Secret World, who can be unreliable at times but is on a good mark and is making an Irish debut here for new trainer Gerard O’Leary so a change of scenery could pay dividends here.
Finally, the card comes to a close at 5.20 as a big field of 20 take on the mile and a quarter handicap and All Right By Me, trained by Ger Lyons, looks the way to go after a good third of eight in a Dundalk handicap last time out. There are plenty of others who could step forward though, the chief of them Booklight for trainer Natalia Lupini, off 180 days and makes handicap debut having finished third of 14 when last seen in a Thurles maiden.
Navan selections – Tuesday
2.10 – Little Mi Mi
2.40 – Mississippi River
3.10 – Mordor
3.40 – Imarjan
4.15 – Dakota Blue
4.50 – Secret World
5.20 – All Right By Me
