While the Grade One action is taking place in England this weekend, Navan Racecourse offers a typically competitive seven-race card on Saturday afternoon, with four races over hurdles, two over fences and concluding with a bumper.
Read on for a preview of and tips for the Navan card, brought to you by BOYLE Sports, who provide all the latest horse racing odds.
The first race is a two-mile rated novice hurdle (12.10). This looks a high quality affair, with numerous previous winners running for prominent connections. Welonlyhavedone is the top-rated, having won a maiden hurdle and since run at Cheltenham. He is unproven on ground like this, though, unlike most of the others in the race. Lazare de Star is a talented sort who will go happily on the ground, but has a lot of weight to shoulder here and Chase The Moon might just be able to creep up behind him to take at least some each-way money at a price.
Next is a maiden hurdle run over two miles and six furlongs (12.45). Three of the 13 runners are point-to-point winners; Holly Brook, Timesareachanging and Grey Balls Of Fire, but others make more appeal. Court Compliance was beaten narrowly over this trip at Punchestown in a maiden by a good horse in Champagne Kid, so he could be the winner here, while Melbourne Shamrock looks able to be the runner-up under Donagh Meyler.
Race three is a valuable two and a half mile handicap hurdle (1.20). Henry De Bromhead’s Killaney King should be able to run to a place here, having performed well on his latest two starts on similarly testing ground. The mare, Zanoosh, makes plenty of appeal here; a consistent type who recently won a maiden on heavy ground at Punchestown and she could be interesting on handicap debut.
Another two and a half mile handicap hurdle follows (1.50). While a lower class affair than the previous contest, this still looks a tight competition. One Big Boum could go well on today’s mark, wearing first-time blinkers. Shellrunforbriggs goes well on ground like this and should be in contention, as should Johnny Cakes, whose mark could get him a place, though a win looks unlikely.
Next is a beginners’ chase (2.25). One of Henry De Bromhead’s stable stars, Slade Steel, is the highlight here, winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2024 who has displayed similar abilities over fences in four starts so far. He should outclass most of these, but the heavy ground throws a question mark over this trip. Joystick should be taken seriously, as should Patter Merchant.
Second to last we have a three-mile handicap chase (3.00). Duce Bungalow tends to do well on heavy ground so may have a chance if taking to the step up in trip, whale Butty O Brien is now back on a winnable mark and might be a player too. Milanaway, though, looks the best of them, on an attractive mark with a further three pounds from his rider. He is proven over both the ground and the trip, and looks nicely handicapped here.
Finally we finish off with a bumper (3.35). Two of the eight runners are newcomers; Thenavvybank and Liskeveen. Both have nice pedigrees and could be interesting, but Liskeveen’s trainer is the easier to back. Willie Mullins runs a point-to-point graduate, The Irish Avatar, who was second in a decent maiden point and promises plenty here, but Gordon Elliott’s Low Kick looks exciting too. It ought to be between the two of them, but Low Kick is the one already proven in a bumper.
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Navan selections – Saturday:
12.10 – Chase The Moon e/w
12.45 – Court Compliance
1.20 – Zanoosh
1.50 – Shellrunforbriggs
2.25 – Slade Steel
3.00 – Milanaway
3.35 – Low Kic
