Irish jumps racing expert Tony Keenan has one recommended bet for the action at Navan - check out this afternoon's tip.
Irish racing tips: Sunday February 11
1pt win Minella Cocooner in 3.45 Navan at 2/1 (bet365) - General 15/8 also fine
There are some interesting races at Navan this afternoon but while nothing really jumps out at the prices, it is possible to make a case that MINELLA COCOONER should be a bit closer in the betting to stablemate Nick Rockett in the William Hill Ten Up Novice Chase.
The problem with that theory is that Paul Townend is on Nick Rockett and while the jockey was beaten by a couple of bigger-priced stablemates at the Dublin Racing Festival last weekend, he gets it right much more often than wrong.
Since the start of 2020, Willie Mullins has won 230 Graded non-handicaps and Townend had ridden in 174 of those races, winning 126 of them. He has been on ‘the wrong one’ 48 times but in reality the number is lower than that as there were JP McManus winners that used their retained riders and a few that Patrick Mullins typically rode, like Sharjah.
Still, the choice between Nick Rockett and Minella Cocooner will likely have been a difficult one, both having similar profiles since going chasing, improving from their first start to win impressively second time out.
Nick Rockett was probably the easier winner of the two last time at Fairyhouse but he is unproven at three miles and going left-handed is a slight concern; he won a maiden hurdle at Naas last March but not before jumping right for much of the race.
Minella Cocooner has barely run a bad race in his life, finishing second on his first start over hurdles after which a talented sort in The Nice Guy was the only horse to beat him in his final four runs in novice hurdles.
He ran well on chase debut at Gowran in November 2022 when second to one now rated 156 before missing 397 days and seeming to need his first start back at Leopardstown over Christmas then building on that to win well over this course and distance last month, his jumping notably good.
The remainder of the card looks tricky.
Blazing Khal comes into the William Hill Boyne Hurdle (2.45) with a similar profile to when he won the race last year and this year’s running is no better though he is a much shorter price this time around.
Da Capo Glory makes a some appeal, his form figures around this trip reading well, while Ashdale Bob is another that has been well-suited by conditions in the past, but is without a win in a long time.
Brighterdaysahead has been MIA for a bit but that seems by design as she runs in the Apple’s Jade Novice Hurdle at 2.15, presumably ahead going to the Dawn Run, and should win, with Pastorale perhaps the one to chase her home. The step up in trip should suit her judged on how she found the track and trip too sharp at Thurles last time.
Published at 0902 GMT on 11/02/24
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