Tony Keenan is back with a look ahead to today's Navan card and he's got a sprint handicapper on his radar.
Irish racing tips: Sunday June 7
1pt win The Highway Rat in 13:42 Navan at 9/2 (General)
Flat racing at Navan is often secreted away somewhere amidst the Saturday morass of better English racing, so it is good to see the track getting some of the spotlight to themselves this afternoon where a pair of Listed races are the features.
Both have drawn decent sized fields, though even so Hotazhell should take plenty of beating in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Hill Of Tara Stakes at 15:27. He spent last season competing in the best of races, not far behind Delacroix at Sandown and Leopardstown, and both ground and trip look suitable here. He is a fringe Group 1 horse in a race when most are hardly Listed class.
The favourite, Drop Dead Gorgeous, might be more vulnerable in the next Listed race, the Darley Irish EBF Kooyonga Stakes at 16:02. She had no obvious excuse for a disappointing run last time in the Gallinule, while the form of her Athasi third has not worked out.
La Fogata caught the eye on return at Naas, making a big move from rear off a steady pace and away from the favoured rail, but the form of that race looks weak and she may want further. The two to concentrate on look to be Fingerpaint and Sindria, though that is in their prices.
Fingerpaint is having her first start of the year, but has twice gone well fresh, winning her maiden on debut and then an unlucky third in the Fairy Bridge at Tipperary. She was travelling well at the top of the straight that day only to be wiped out by a careless riding move from another rider, running on well into third thereafter and shaping like she had more to give. Her final run of last year on testing ground is easily forgiven.
Sindria won her first two starts of 2026 in good style and seemed to find the rise in class on speed-favouring conditions against her last time. She was not beaten far, however, and was keeping on again late while this drop in grade and stiffer track should suit better.
There are some interesting sprint handicaps earlier on the card, for all there will be some draw lottery at play with how the straight track rides.
THE HIGHWAY RAT may be worth a small bet in the 13:42, the Navan Racing Festival Early Bird Tickets On Sale Now Handicap. His record at the track is two wins and a third from three runs, and his tendency to be slowly away should be less of disadvantage in this small field.
He ran well on return when sixth in the Habitat Handicap at the Curragh, a race that looked the strongest sprint handicap of the year so far and has already produced a winner, and there is plenty of pace in this small field which should suit him. It is a competitive race even with the small field, though the favourite Namiid looks up against it in with experienced handicappers.
The Book Your Hospitality Now For Navan Racing Festival Handicap at 14:17 looks strong for the grade and Hugo’s Girl is probably the most interesting runner in the race.
She was quite an eye-catcher last time at the Curragh, but I am far from sure the drop to five furlongs here will suit and connections might have preferred to run last Wednesday at the Curragh where she was a non-runner because of unsuitably soft ground.
Preview published at 08:50 BST on 07/06/26
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