15:00 Navan

Saturday 17 January 2026

All12:1012:4513:2013:5014:2515:0015:35

Gormanlough Handicap Chase (0-100)

5YO plus | 3m | Soft to Heavy | 13 Runners | Turf

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Jordan Gainford| T: C Bowe| OR: 98| D

50/1, eighth of 16 in handicap chase at Punchestown (19.7f, good to soft) 17 days ago, going in snatches and merely passing beaten rivals. Up in trip.

Form: 901S/38

Le Grand Vert^p,t²²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: N C Kelly| OR: 96| D

18/1

14/1, again ran poorly when eighth of 15 in handicap chase at Down Royal (20.6f, good to soft) 22 days ago. Others more appealing.

Form: 836UP8

Butty O Brien²⁷²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Eoin Walsh| T: P Magee| OR: 94| C

20/1

18/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f, soft), dropping away between 4 out and 3 out. Off a further 9 months ahead of this return to chasing and enough to prove.

Form: 81514P/

Buckaway Freddie^h1,t1¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Alex Harvey| T: J C McConnell| OR: 93

50/1

Runner-up in a bumper earlier in his career but well held completed starts over hurdles, unseated rider in handicap at Fairyhouse (20f, good to soft) on most recent outing. Makes handicap/chase debut in first-time hood and tongue strap combination.

Form: 770/P0U

Smackwater Jack^p²¹

Age: 12| Weight: 11-8| J: Ricky Doyle| T: Mrs D Foster| OR: 92| D

8/1

Wasn't disgraced having a first run over fences for current yard when fifth of 12 in handicap chase (6/1) at Limerick (22.6f, heavy) 21 days ago. Cheekpieces back on. Not ruled out.

Form: 147755

Made In The Woods^t⁴⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: M Winters| OR: 87

9/2

In a first-time tongue strap, took a step back in the right direction on first run since leaving Norman Lee when sixth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Clonmel (19.4f, heavy) 46 days ago. Potentially well treated now reverting to chasing.

Form: 527P/06

Plain Or Battered^p⁵¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Tiernan Power Roche⁽³⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 86| D

5/1

Modest hurdles winner who followed a good run with a below-par one when ninth of 15 in handicap chase at Thurles (22f, good to soft) 51 days ago. Bounce back called for.

Form: 3P40/39

Brown Boots⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Brian Hayes| T: L P Cusack| OR: 84| BF

5/2

Showed a bit more than previously when fifth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Clonmel (20f, heavy) 9 days ago. Interesting chasing newcomer stepping up in trip (bred to stay this far).

Form: 0886/95

Ardaghs Choice^b¹⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-13| J: Kevin Sexton| T: E Sheehy| OR: 83

66/1

Temperamental sort. Twelve runs since last win in 2022 but run best excused when eighth of 14 in handicap chase (50/1) at Tramore (22.8f, soft) 16 days ago, badly hampered 4 out.

Form: 43P/U88

Duce Bigalow⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: J J Slevin| T: S Neville| OR: 82

6/1

Run best excused when fifth of 11 in handicap chase at Punchestown (19.5f, heavy, 4/1) 6 days ago, doing too much too soon. Up in trip and may bounce back.

Form: 70/P525

Connemara Shore¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Phillip Enright| T: R Tyner| OR: 76| D

11/2

Little show in maiden/handicap hurdles but this former point winner could show more now making handicap/chase debut up in trip. Worth a market check.

Form: P07/100

Spanish Maid⁵⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: Ben Kennedy⁽⁷⁾| T: F J Flood| OR: 76

22/1

Remains a maiden after 17 NH runs. 18/1, showed a bit more than of late when fourth of 9 in handicap chase at Fairyhouse (24.2f, heavy) 57 days ago.

Form: P/000P4

Fox Le Bel^b,t¹⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-4| J: Simon Torrens| T: Liz Doyle| OR: 74

10/1

Long-standing maiden who took a small step back in the right direction when sixth of 14 in handicap chase at Tramore (22.8f, soft) 16 days ago. Remains to be seen if he's able to build on that.

Form: 432/PR6

Non-Runners

Milanaway²²

Weight: 11-4| Age: 8

T: D Hogan J: Philip Donovan

Forecasts

Made In The Woods (7/2), Brown Boots (5/1), Duce Bigalow (6/1), Smackwater Jack (7/1), Fox Le Bel (7/1), Plain Or Battered (10/1), Milanaway (10/1), Le Grand Vert (14/1), North Of Nashville (16/1), Ardaghs Choice (20/1), Butty O Brien (20/1), Connemara Shore (20/1), Spanish Maid (25/1), Buckaway Freddie (25/1)

MADE IN THE WOODS took a step back in the right direction on first start for Michael Winters at Clonmel last month and is potentially well treated now returning to chasing, so he's put forward as the answer. Brown Boots is an interesting chasing newcomer stepping up to a trip that should suit on breeding, with Duce Bigalow and veteran Smackwater Jack others capable of having a say.