12:25 Navan

Saturday 20 January 2018

All12:2513:0013:3514:1014:4515:2015:50

2018 Navan Membership Rated Novice Hurdle

Off time: 12:25 | Winning time: 4m 27.8s

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Selected odds by:

Gran Geste³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: M P Walsh| T: Miss E Doyle| CD

7/1

2-2 so far, a bumper and then a maiden hurdle at Naas in December, showing a willing attitude. This looks a little harder but ground ideal, and may yet take another step forward. Not to be dismissed lightly.

Form: 11

Spades Are Trumps⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: B J Geraghty| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 126| D

11/2

Came home with a rattle to win a big field maiden hurdle at Punchestown last time out, overcoming a bit of greenness to score. Needs to tidy jumping up a bit and may want a touch further but an exciting prospect and not ruled out.

Form: 31

Stooshie²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 125| D

7/1

Had shown a decent level on form in bumpers and translated that over hurdles last time, battling on well to score at Down Royal. Seems happiest at this trip for the time being and with ground no issue, looks a player here.

Form: 023251

Game Of War²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: D P Holden⁽⁷⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 122| D

9/1

Easy winner in heavy ground at Clonmel in December but rather put in his place in a Leopardstown handicap hurdle last time and needs to bounce back from that. May find others improving past him and a bit to do here.

Form: P38-419

Chatham Street Lad¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: L P Dempsey| T: M Winters| OR: 118| D

9/2

Much improved effort at Cork last time out, making all the running and scoring with a bit in hand at the finish. Heavy ground clearly not a problem and although he needs another step forward here, isn't dismissed lightly in a competitive event.

Form: 2-461

Great Trango^b²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: S W Flanagan| T: D H Kelly| OR: 121| D

7/1

Had ability on the Flat and showed a very willing attitude to deny Riders Onthe Storm on hurdles debut at Limerick last time. Blinkers seem to have helped, so may yet find more now they've found the key to him. Not out of it, with ground ideal.

Form: 2-221

Riders Onthe Storm²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Slevin| T: T J Taaffe| BF

4/1

Just touched off behind Great Trango at Limerick latest but that was another improved effort. Worry is that he was outbattled after appearing to go best there, and on that, others make a little more appeal.

Form: 45-52

Veneer Of Charm⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: J W Kennedy| T: G Elliott| C| D

5/1

Useful on the Flat and has made good start to hurdling career, successful on debut at Punchestown (showing good turn of foot) and then runner-up latest, running to form. Gets a bit of weight here and with trip/ground fine, has definite chances.

Form: 12

Pronounced⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: E T Daly⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 116

33/1

Relatively quick turnaround for this one after falling on hurdles debut earlier in the week, may have finished in the frame but a slight concern he's just 1-22 all codes and might be hard to win with. Gets weight, which gives hope.

Form: 1275F

Forecasts

Riders Onthe Storm (4/1), Chatham Street Lad (9/2), Veneer Of Charm (5/1), Spades Are Trumps (11/2), Stooshie (7/1), Great Trango (7/1), Gran Geste (7/1), Game Of War (9/1), Pronounced (33/1)

The 4-y-o's get plenty of weight from their elders here and VENEER OF CHARM makes a lot more appeal than Pronounced, who finds getting his head in front difficult. Conditions look absolutely fine for Gorgon Elliott's charge though, and he can continue the good start he has made to his hurdling career. Spades Are Trumps,Gran Geste and Stooshie have all shown plenty of promise and all have chances in a competitive event.