Navan Racecourse Race

Off time: 14:50 | Winning time: 3m 26.71s

(1)

French Claim¹⁸⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Billy Lee| T: P Twomey| OR: 107

4/9

Smart colt. 7/1, respectable twentieth of 30 in handicap at the Curragh (16.6f, soft). Off 6 months but does have a good record fresh.

Form: 4/13370-

(4)

Kingswear⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: J M Sheridan⁽³⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 88| D

80/1

Fairly useful gelding. Seventh of 8 in handicap at Dundalk (12f, 40/1) 54 days ago. Needs to step up on that effort on these terms.

Form: 31/00-67

(2)

Oriental Eagle¹⁰¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 9-7| J: Ronan Whelan| T: E Mullins| OR: 96| D

40/1

18/1, won 5-runner listed race at Limerick (12.5f, good) by length from Pondus, well positioned. Off nearly 3 years so well-being an unknown but he's certainly in very capable hands.

Form: 434461/

(3)

Phoenix Cowboy¹⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 96

5/1

Useful gelding. Fourteenth of 16 in handicap (40/1) at Leopardstown (12f, soft). Off 165 days but not out of this on his peak form.

Form: 425000-

(6)

Taipan¹⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Shane Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 96

10/3

Useful gelding. Twelve runs since last win in 2020. 40/1, respectable ninth of 20 in handicap at Naas (16.1f, heavy). Ended 2022 in slightly disappointing fashion.

Form: 205709-

Non-Runners

(5)

Okita Soushi³³

Weight: 9-11| Age: 5

T: J P O'Brien J: Hugh Horgan

Forecasts

French Claim (4/9), Okita Soushi (13/8), Taipan (10/3), Phoenix Cowboy (5/1), Oriental Eagle (40/1), Kingswear (80/1)

OKITA SOUSHI has to concede weight all round but his record fresh is an excellent one so he may well be up to the task back on turf. French Claim looks the chief threat on his return to action, while it will be interesting to see what the market makes of Oriental Eagle.