13:40 Navan

Sunday 12 February 2023

All13:1013:4014:1014:4015:1015:4016:1016:40

Navan Ford & Opel Maiden Hurdle (Div 2)

Off time: 13:41 | Winning time: 4m 11.00s

Banjaxed⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Kieren Buckley⁽³⁾| T: L Fowler

9/2

Twice-raced maiden. Fifth of 10 in bumper at Fairyhouse (16f, heavy, 6/1) 42 days ago. Makes hurdles debut.

Form: 2-5

Bloomhill²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Brian Hayes| T: P Fenton

80/1

Fourth foal, dam ran once over hurdles. Off mark in points at third attempt (Jan 15).

Form: 321

Eikonix¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: J S McGarvey| T: J J Hanlon

250/1

Fairly useful Flat winner. Twice-raced maiden over hurdles. Twelfth of 16 in novice hurdle (200/1) at Fairyhouse (16f, heavy) 18 days ago.

Form: 00

Gallaside²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: C A McBratney| OR: 86

150/1

Remains a maiden after 7 hurdle runs. Last of 16 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16f, heavy, 100/1) 27 days ago. Booking of O'Callaghan a plus.

Form: 47/50-P0

Ho My Lord⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins

1/3

Flat winner. First run since leaving Mlle A-S. Pacault when fell early in novice hurdle at Leopardstown (20f, soft, 5/2) on NH debut 46 days ago. In top hands and well worth another chance.

Form: F

Jinxs Link^t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Dillon Maxwell⁽⁷⁾| T: M Rice

125/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. 250/1 and tongue strap on for 1st time, thirteenth of 22 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (16f, heavy) on hurdles bow 28 days ago.

Form: 088-0

Kingsofthemidlands¹²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Mullins| T: P A Fahy

50/1

Fairly useful maiden on the Flat, making jumps debut. 5/2 and blinkered for 1st time, fourth of 8 in minor event at Redcar (8f, good to soft). First run for yard after leaving Andrew Balding.

Form:

Lucky Policy

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Ben Kennedy⁽⁷⁾| T: P W Flynn

200/1

Policy Maker gelding. Brother to fair hurdler The Big Chap. Dam placed in point.

Form:

Magnetic North^v¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: C P McNamara| T: A McGuinness| C

200/1

Fair Flat winner. Thrice-raced maiden over hurdles. Seventeenth of 22 in novice hurdle (250/1) at Punchestown (16f, heavy) 13 days ago. Visor on for first time in this code.

Form: 000

Ossifer Hops²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott

100/1

Seventh of 10 in bumper (7/1) at Fairyhouse (16f, heavy) on NH debut 29 days ago. Runner-up in 3 points and better expected now tackling obstacles.

Form: 5-P27

Sculduggery⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Ricky Doyle| T: D A McLoughlin

150/1

Twice-raced maiden. Last of 7 in novice hurdle at Down Royal (17f, soft, 50/1) 48 days ago.

Form: 07

Striking²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: Mrs J Harrington

16/1

Modest maiden on the Flat. Promising sort. 40/1, ninth of 14 in novice hurdle at this course (20f, soft) on NH debut 22 days ago. Should progress.

Form: 9

West Away^t¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Simon Torrens| T: J C McConnell

25/1

Twice-raced maiden. 125/1, sixth of 17 in novice hurdle at Down Royal (17.2f, soft) 19 days ago.

Form: 2-06

Zettabyte⁸⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Jordan Gainford| T: G Elliott

7/1

€40,000 3-y-o, £75,000 5-y-o, Soldier of Fortune gelding. Runner-up both starts in points and one of 5 Gordon Elliott runners.

Form: 22

Ring O Roses

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: C Brassil⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead

12/1

First foal, dam (c125/h109), 2m-21f hurdle/chase winner, half-sister to untrustworthy but fairly useful hurdler/smart chaser (stayed 2½m) Moon Over Miami and fair hurdler/useful chaser (stayed 2¾m) Roi de Dubai. Interesting newcomer.

Form:

Non-Runners

Smooth Player¹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Gavin Brouder

Valsorpresa

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: G Elliott J: Nathan Andrews

Emotional Damage

Weight: 11-5| Age: 5

T: G Elliott J: Richard Condon

Forecasts

Ho My Lord (1/3), Banjaxed (9/2), Zettabyte (7/1), Valsorpresa (8/1), Ring O Roses (12/1), Smooth Player (14/1), Emotional Damage (14/1), Striking (16/1), West Away (25/1), Kingsofthemidlands (50/1), Bloomhill (80/1), Ossifer Hops (100/1), Jinxs Link (125/1), Sculduggery (150/1), Gallaside (150/1), Lucky Policy (200/1), Magnetic North (200/1), Eikonix (250/1)

HO MY LORD fell early on hurdles debut for Willie Mullins but he's been given time to recover from that and is well worth another chance. Ring O Roses ticks a lot of boxes on debut so is one to consider, while the market may help establish a pecking order regarding the Gordon-Elliott trained quintet.