13:00 Navan

Sunday 25 November 2018

All12:0012:3013:0013:3014:0014:3015:0015:30

'Monksfield' Novice Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 13:01 | Winning time: 4m 58.6s

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Selected odds by:

Dinons²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 145| D

3/1

On quite the run now, chasing a six-timer here after easily winning six-runner novice hurdle at Cheltenham (3m, good to soft) last month. Toughest task so far conceding weight.

Form: F11111

Choungaya^t¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: M P Walsh| T: J P O'Brien

14/1

Walk In The Park gelding, good third over 2m here last time, staying on at the end. Yard in good form and may have more to offer.

Form: 73-2313

Felix Desjy^h¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: G Elliott| BF

5/1

Made positive start to hurdling career with impressive Galway win but jumping rather let him down in 2m Grade 3 here a fortnight ago. Needs to iron that out over this longer trip.

Form: 1165-17

First Approach²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| D

3/1

Career-best when winning six-runner novice hurdle at Down Royal (2m6f, good) on hurdles bow this month. Likely has further improvement to come and could be leading player.

Form: 239-121

Magnium¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington

4/1

Killarney maiden hurdle winner in May, stepped up on that when second in 2m Grade 3 here a fortnight ago (couple of these rivals behind). Could be more to come with that run behind him.

Form: 7-12

Sometime Soon²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G Elliott

14/1

Wexford maiden hurdle winner (2m, yielding) latest, should progress but others more likely in this field seemingly.

Form: 1145-21

Easy Game⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| D

11/2

Represents top connections but turned over odds-on at this trip on penultimate start at Listowel and 10L second since in 2m graded Tipperary contest, so has more to find than some of these seemingly.

Form: 4-1123

Under Surveillance¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: C J Orr| T: A Lynch

50/1

Last time out maiden hurdle winner at Thurles, showing determination to get there. This is a sizeable step up.

Form: 5-143B1

Non-Runners

Western Victory²⁸

Weight: 10-9| Age: 5

T: C Bowe J: B J Cooper

Forecasts

First Approach (3/1), Dinons (3/1), Magnium (4/1), Felix Desjy (5/1), Easy Game (11/2), Choungaya (14/1), Sometime Soon (14/1), Western Victory (16/1), Under Surveillance (50/1)

MAGNIUM fared best of these in graded company here a fortnight ago and should handle this longer trip in his stride. That was his first start of the season and maiden outing for Jessica Harrington, so there is likely more to come from him in this competitive heat. Dinons is on quite the roll now and showed his best stuff so far in landing the five-timer at Cheltenham last month, but this is a tougher contest and he ships weight in all directions. First Approach and Choungaya are improvers while Felix Desjy could easily leave his disappointing effort here a fortnight behind.