13:45 Navan

Sunday 11 February 2024

All13:4514:1514:4515:1515:4516:1516:45

Navan Ford & Opel Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:45 | Winning time: 4m 24.3s

Angostura⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

7/1

Malinas gelding. Dam, fair 2m hurdle winner, half-sister to useful hurdler (stayed 25f) Knight Bachelor. Placed on second of 2 starts in points and joined a top yard.

Form: 6-3

Ascending⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 133| BF

4/5

Flat winner but yet to score over hurdles. Bit below form third of 28 in novice hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, good to soft, 6/4) 47 days ago. Yard in good form. Sets the bar pretty high having finished fifth in the 2023 Triumph.

Form: 245-33

Barton Snow^h1⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss M M McElligott⁽⁷⁾| T: William P Murphy

80/1

Modest hurdler. Sixth of 9 in bumper (40/1) at Limerick (18f, heavy) 45 days ago. Switches from bumpers to hurdles. Hooded for first time.

Form: 283656

Claude Du Val

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr F Maguire| T: B Connell

10/1

€54,000 3-y-o, Masked Marvel gelding. Half-brother to 4 winners, including fairly useful hurdler Hygrove Percy. Dam 12.6f winner. Interesting newcomer.

Form:

Gaucher^h1,t1⁴⁸⁶

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

7/2

Fairly useful Flat winner, making jumps debut. 43/10, won 7-runner minor event at Longchamp (9.9f, good). Off 16 months. First run for yard after leaving C. Laffon-Parias but he's definitely in the right hands. Market may guide as to expectations.

Form:

Harveys Point²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Brian Hayes| T: Colm Murphy

80/1

Thrice-raced maiden under NH rules. Ninth of 22 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (16.7f, soft, 80/1) 28 days ago.

Form: 2-89

Helvic Dream⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Ewing| T: N Meade

11/2

Useful Flat winner. 20/1, fifth of 23 in novice hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, good to soft) 47 days ago. Should have plenty more to offer in this sphere given ability on the level.

Form: 55

Hypersonic Missile¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Alix Balfe⁽⁷⁾| T: G P Cromwell| D

100/1

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. 7/1, first run since leaving John McConnell when fifth of 12 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (16.1f, heavy) on hurdles bow 13 days ago. Stable in good form.

Form: 1-5215

Mister Vic^t⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J S McGarvey| T: N C Kelly

200/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Tongue strap on for 1st time, eighth of 12 in novice hurdle at Down Royal (20.2f, soft, 150/1) on hurdles bow 47 days ago. Down in trip.

Form: 79-368

Not My Problem⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Simon Torrens| T: R O'Sullivan

200/1

100/1, fourteenth of 16 in novice hurdle at Naas (19f, soft) on NH debut 59 days ago.

Form: 0

Borora River

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: E Walsh| T: P Magee

200/1

Golden Lariat mare. Half-sister to fair hurdler Cornakill Rose. Dam unraced.

Form:

Crimlin Rose

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Phillip Enright| T: M M McNiff

200/1

€2,200 3-y-o, Pour Moi mare. Dam, pulled up sole start over hurdles, half-sister to fairly useful 21f hurdle winner Amrons Sage.

Form:

Karacole⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: J J Slevin| T: J Barcoe

33/1

Flat winner but lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. 18/1, fell in novice hurdle at Punchestown (16.7f, soft) 6 days ago.

Form: 7P04F

Lazy Bones⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Carl Millar⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott

40/1

Fourth of 9 in bumper (7/1) at Down Royal (17f, soft) on NH debut 47 days ago, going in snatches. Makes hurdles debut.

Form: 4

Forecasts

Ascending (4/5), Gaucher (7/2), Helvic Dream (11/2), Angostura (7/1), Claude Du Val (10/1), Karacole (33/1), Lazy Bones (40/1), Harveys Point (80/1), Barton Snow (80/1), Hypersonic Missile (100/1), Not My Problem (200/1), Mister Vic (200/1), Borora River (200/1), Crimlin Rose (200/1)

ASCENDING has been a shade disappointing both starts this term having finished an excellent fifth in the 2023 Triumph Hurdle but this looks a really good chance for him to open his account in this sphere. Helvic Dream isn't going to be matching his Flat form over hurdles but he's still open to progress and is a threat, while the market will help assess Gaucher on his return to the track.