Navan is a galloping and stiff left handed Course with a steady uphill climb and even in Yielding conditions like today takes some getting. Often prominent runners can just be grabbed between the last 2 obstacles and you really do have to run to and through the line here with lots of exciting finishes.

 

There are a couple in here at big prices who are in the TRACKER system. Journey West won at 2 miles 5 furlongs and 3 miles in May / June last year in Yielding / Good conditions and the ground has certainly come right for it here. It's been poor this season but can't be totally ruled out off a mark of 89. Plain Or Battered ran a better race last time and on some old P2P form the step up in trip could suit. Neither made my shortlist of 4 in a very competitive 26 runner field but I wouldn't be surprised if either ran big races if the Going is on the Good side and both should pay their way in the next few months on better Spring Going.

 

At the other end of the market Cave Court is the favourite but runs beyond 2 miles 3 furlongs for the first time and I'm not sure this is a track to take that sort of distance hike on in terms of value at the price. Inde Belle is tongue tied and often runs into contention and then fades and although the tie should help it's another case of stamina niggles.

Gold Have was a close runner up here last time over shorter and I'm also not convinced the step up in trip will suit this ex-Flat horse.Mrs Paisley, one of two Elliott runners has been frustrating and didn't show any immediate signs of winning on recent Stable debut. Glorious Singer has a few bits of decent handicap form in the context of the race and made the final shortlist before culling and the only other one I noted was Pay Later who makes handicap debut aged 10, it ran well in P2P between 2 extended breaks and if it was a 6-7 year old would probably have warranted even closer investigation, a bold run would not totally surprise.

 

With 26 runners and reserves and enhanced to 5-6 places I will have 4 selections here in order of preference-:

 

DRAGONS PASS is a Course winner at 2 and 1/2 miles , it dead-heated last time and gets a 6lbs penalty but wasn't stopping at the line and in this horses case I think will appreciate the extra trip and we know it'll battle all the way up the hill. WHAT AN OCEAN is the Elliott second string but one I'm far more confident about than the other, this trip looks ideal and better than 3 miles for it, it's back on an Irish mark after a run in the Mainland and I think it's worth a punt the early price. CAFE DEL MAR was a nice winner of Good ground at Thurles off a mark of 87 over 3 miles, its taken time to come to hand but should be fit enough now to run to that sort of mark again and is ideally weighted off a mark of 91 with a 5 pounds claimer. LEGACY OF DREAMS is a P2P winner and also drops back from 3 miles on this stiff Track. It's a very solid each way proposition at a nice price.

 

 

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With 17 declared and enhanced places I will limit to 3 selections here from a final shortlist of 4.

 

At the top of the market Sweet Will who is 2-1-1-2 over Hurdles and latterly fences off marks from 93-95-114 (hurdles) and 105 > 110 over fences goes up in trip and I think opposable. Ballykeel for Elliott regularly places but tends to find something better handicapped and isn't a great win or each way value in my eyes. Brampton Belle just missed selections and was 4th pick its unexposed and has significant potential, my only niggle was proven stamina.

 

Handsworth remains massively frustrating and again my doubts are stamina and heart in a tussle, Portstorm was going OK when falling last time out and will rate a big danger, Fiveaftermidnight is also feared and is a Course winner who gets further but may just need this off a 70 day break. Amaulino has some good P2P form but off over 280 days so I'll add to the TRACKER after this run. Forza Milan could easily "Pop up" but I've said that a few too many times now to be confident and old father time may have caught up. Deadheat was progressive last season and with the mark declining is another to TRACK after today off a 105 day rest. History Of Fashion has ability but is out of form and needs some respite from the handicapper.

 

My final 3 therefore in order of preference are-:

 

TEMPTATIONINMILAN who was an unfortunate and sloppy unseat last time but in good nick before that run and is a solid selection in every way and criteria. KRABAT also fell last time but is sound enough over jumps to see that as a minor blip. It's another than had run promisingly in to form and is a confident each way selection with a clear round of jumping. THE ECHO BAY has awin at Roscommon off a mark of 125, a warm up over hurdles will have blown away the cobwebs and it was a fine runner up last year on it's second run and looks a decent each way poke off a mark of 125 and definitely one to follow.