13:10 Navan

Saturday 18 January 2025

All12:0012:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:25

Navan Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:11 | Winning time: 5m 16.3s

Intense Raffles⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: J J Slevin| T: T Gibney| OR: 141

12/1

Smart winner at 29f in chases. 16/1, good ninth of 20 in handicap hurdle at this course (25.2f, soft) on hurdles bow 42 days ago. Down in trip. Uphill task here though.

Form: 5/7111-9

Bottler'secret^p²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 139

10/1

12/1 and blinkers/tongue strap on for 1st time, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (19.8f, good) 20 days ago, losing touch 3 out. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 112-35P

Jigoro²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Carl Millar⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 138| C

12/1

Course winner. 9/2, creditable second of 5 in minor event hurdle at Limerick (20f, soft) 22 days ago. No forlorn hope.

Form: 23P0-22

Whatcouldhavebeen¹⁶⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Fahey| OR: 136

80/1

Latest win in hurdle at Fairyhouse in April. Below form tenth of 18 in handicap hurdle (28/1) at Galway (22.5f, soft) 168 days ago. Not taken lightly if shrugging off latest effort.

Form: 3515-40

Espanito Bello^v⁴²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean Flanagan| T: B Connell| OR: 135| D

16/1

28/1, respectable fifth of 19 in handicap chase at this course (20.7f, soft) 42 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Switches from chase to hurdles. Stable in good form. Ought to be in the shake-up.

Form: 3UP-585

Shadow Rider²⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: Peter Smithers⁽⁷⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 134| D

28/1

50/1, below form thirteenth of 20 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (19.8f, good) 20 days ago, very slowly away. Merits consideration if back on his A-game.

Form: P121-70

Any Road²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: M M McDonagh| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 132| D

28/1

1 win from 3 runs this season. Pulled up in handicap hurdle (22/1) at Leopardstown (19.8f, good) 20 days ago, pulled up soon after start. Others have achieved more.

Form: 3630-1P

No Looking Back^t⁵⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Phillip Enright| T: O McKiernan| OR: 132

8/1

31¾ lengths fourth of 7 to Brighterdaysahead in Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown (16.7f, soft, 200/1) 56 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut with more needed.

Form: 03/P-2P4

Lord Erskine⁸⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 11-2| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H Rogers| OR: 130| C| D

28/1

Course winner. Eighth of 11 in minor event at the Curragh (12f, soft, 25/1) 88 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Back up in trip. Can make presence felt.

Form: 617-332

Eagles Reign²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: T P Harney⁽⁷⁾| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 129

40/1

1 win from 3 runs this season. 23½ lengths seventh of 9 to Balko D'ange in listed handicap at Limerick (16f, soft, 11/1) 20 days ago. Up in trip. Not easy to make a case for.

Form: 120-167

Thecompanysergeant⁷⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Conor Stone-Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 129| C

3/1

Course winner. Creditable 10½ lengths fourth of 9 to Gorgeous Tom in Gr 3 chase at Cork (20f, good, 10/1) 76 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. First run for yard after leaving Denis Hogan and in the mix.

Form: 221364

Barry Lyndon^p⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: L A McKenna⁽⁵⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 128| D

14/1

Latest win in hurdle at Bellewstown in August. Good sixth of 24 in handicap hurdle (18/1) at Fairyhouse (20.2f, good) 49 days ago. Getting better with each recent run.

Form: 501836

Open To Question^b²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Donagh Meyler| T: N Meade| OR: 126

14/1

Creditable seventh of 20 in handicap hurdle (25/1) at Leopardstown (23.4f, good) 21 days ago, faring best of those held up. Blinkers back on and one to consider.

Form: 95-1787

Raglan Road^t1²⁹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Mark Walsh| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 126

20/1

Winner in hurdle at Naas in March. 18/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (23.8f, heavy), dropping away approaching 3 out. Off 9 months. Tongue strap on 1st time. Others more persuasive.

Form: 2/4451P-

Gold Bullion^t,p1²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 124

40/1

16/1, sixteenth of 20 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (23.4f, good) 21 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Something to find on form.

Form: 3353-30

Jody Ted^t⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: D King| T: D Hogan| OR: 123

33/1

Tongue strap on for 1st time, pulled up in handicap hurdle (80/1) at this course (25.2f, soft) 42 days ago, pulled up before last. Down in trip. First run for yard after leaving Eoin Griffin.

Form: 2/11U-PP

Music Of Tara^p,t⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Sam Ewing| T: G Elliott| OR: 122| D

12/1

Good fourth of 19 in 2m5f handicap chase at Navan last month. Switches from chase to hurdles. First run for yard after leaving Henry De Bromhead. Enters calculations.

Form: B1-4344

Blaze The Way³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Danny Mullins| T: Ms M Mullins| OR: 121| C

6/1

16/1, career best when winning 18-runner handicap hurdle at this course (25f, good to soft) 34 days ago, well on top finish. A likely player despite 7 lb weights rise.

Form: 1P-3371

Koori Star²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Jake Coen⁽³⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 119

9/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. 16/1, creditable fourth of 20 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (23.4f, good) 21 days ago. Needs considering.

Form: 1-18954

Non-Runners

Millforce²⁸

Weight: 10-11| Age: 6

T: G P Cromwell J: Kieren Buckley

Forecasts

Thecompanysergeant (3/1), Blaze The Way (6/1), No Looking Back (8/1), Koori Star (9/1), Bottler'secret (10/1), Music Of Tara (12/1), Jigoro (12/1), Intense Raffles (12/1), Millforce (12/1), Barry Lyndon (14/1), Open To Question (14/1), Espanito Bello (16/1), Raglan Road (20/1), Any Road (28/1), Shadow Rider (28/1), Lord Erskine (28/1), Jody Ted (33/1), Gold Bullion (40/1), Eagles Reign (40/1), Whatcouldhavebeen (80/1)

Plenty are in with a shout but the vote goes to BLAZE THE WAY who took a big step forward on his handicap debut when going in here and can make light of a 7 lb rise in the weights. Gordon Elliott's new recruit Music of Tara is next on the list off a handy-looking mark ahead of Thecompanysergeant, Espanito Bello, Lord Erskine and Open To Question.