13:00 Navan

Saturday 20 January 2018

All12:2513:0013:3514:1014:4515:2015:50

www.navanracecourse.ie Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:02 | Winning time: 5m 44.20s

Catwalk King^t¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Donagh Meyler| T: Miss E Doyle

10/1

Looked very useful when ploughing through the mud to score in a Cork bumper last March, and a perfectly satisfactory first run over hurdles when second at Fairyhouse latest. Needs more here though and others preferred.

Form: 416-2

Cuneo⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B J Cooper| T: H De Bromhead

25/1

Plenty of encouragement to be taken from the pedigree but looked to need more time when only fourth on debut at Gowran in November. Will progress from that but this looks a little too tough at this stage.

Form: 4

Massey's Wood^b1²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D F O'Regan| T: A Fleming

10/1

Looked a smart prospect when winning bumper easily (heavy ground) at Listowel but not gone on from that, and connections turn to the blinkers. Chances on form obvious, but a little risky now, and needs to step forward.

Form: 125

Monstrosity¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade

33/1

Some promise in bumpers but unseated early on hurdles debut at Fairyhouse earlier in the month and looks to be taking a bit too much on here.

Form: 325U

Mortal^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 127

5/1

Bumper winner (on soft) on debut at Limerick last March, hurdles efforts so far very solid and might well have won at Gowran last November but for a last-flight fall. Ground no issue and drop back in trip no problem, so should be on the premises.

Form: 1-4F2

Murgan¹⁰³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J B Kane⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell

66/1

Useful middle-distance horse on the Flat at his peak but was starting to look a bit disappointing when last seen, with headgear not helping. Best watched on hurdles debut today.

Form:

Roundstone⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott

6/1

Made E100,000 at Goffs sales back in 2016 and an impressive point-to-point winner at Borris House in December. First run for Gordon Elliott and really could be anything, so market has to be best guide.

Form: 1

Smooth Spoon⁴¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: B J Reynolds⁽⁷⁾| T: R W T Brabazon

100/1

Three starts in point-to-points and has shown little, so can't really be looked at as a likely winner here.

Form: P/F3-

Western Command^h1⁷⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: M A Enright| T: G Elliott

66/1

Some promise in bumpers but well beaten on only start over hurdles. Connections go for a hood now but no realistic chance of success.

Form: 8-40

Antey²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: D J Mullins| T: W P Mullins

6/4

Represents powerful connections, and showed plenty of promise when third on debut at Leopardstown last month, despite not being strong in the market. Flat winner in France and likely to progress, with step up in trip a help.

Form: 3

Fr Gilligansvoyge¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: D J Hand⁽⁷⁾| T: J G Carr

100/1

Tailed off all three starts and no realistic chance of success here.

Form: 509

Never Can Tell⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: C D Timmons⁽³⁾| T: E Cawley

100/1

Nice enough pedigree but no obvious chance after finishing tailed off on debut at Fairyhouse last month.

Form: 0

Not Many Left²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington

3/1

Point-to-point winner last April and has shown steady improvement all three starts over hurdles, keeping on nicely over this trip at Leopardstown last time. Races in him on that but this may just be a bit too tough.

Form: 1-435

On The Mend

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Mark Walsh| T: J P O'Brien

33/1

Very god pedigree and is a full brother to useful 3m chaser Miss Xian, and although that's where his future will lie this looks a suitable starting point. Market the best guide as to chance but one of the more interesting ones.

Form:

Play With The Wind

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: B J Geraghty| T: J P O'Brien

28/1

Cost E100,000 as a 3-y-o, from same yard as On The Mend and jockey bookings suggest this is the first string. Pedigree says we won't see the best of him until seeing a fence but well bred and given plenty of respect here.

Form:

Saffron And Grey

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G Elliott

33/1

E175,000 purchase back in 2016, dam a half-sister to useful chaser Violon Davis. Yard do well in these events and if market suggests his chance is strong on debut, has to be given maximum respect.

Form:

Famous Day²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: O McKiernan| OR: 100

66/1

Only moderate form shown over hurdles so far and certainly nothing to suggest she's up to winning this.

Form: 5/500-5P

Forecasts

Antey (6/4), Not Many Left (3/1), Mortal (5/1), Roundstone (6/1), Catwalk King (10/1), Massey's Wood (10/1), Cuneo (25/1), Play With The Wind (28/1), Monstrosity (33/1), Saffron And Grey (33/1), On The Mend (33/1), Western Command (66/1), Famous Day (66/1), Murgan (66/1), Fr Gilligansvoyge (100/1), Never Can Tell (100/1), Smooth Spoon (100/1)

The market should tell us plenty about the Joseph O'Brien trio of Play With The Wind ,On The Mend and Mortal but a chance is taken on newcomer SAFFRON AND GREY, who was quite an expensive purchase and is bred to do well. The yard obviously get plenty of winners here and he could be good enough at the first time of asking. Massey's Wood would hold chances if the headgear works, especially in what promises to be deep ground, and both he and Antey need a second look.