Navan Novice Hurdle (Grade 2)

Off time: 12:00 | Winning time: 5m 15.4s

Settings

Selected odds by:

Andy Dufresne³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: M P Walsh| T: G Elliott| CD

1/3

Currently showing single figures in the betting for the Ballymore at the Cheltenham festival in March, the Doyen gelding ran out an easy winner of an 18-runner maiden on soft to heavy ground over C&D late last month. Sets a high standard.

Form: 1/1-1

Conflated^h¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

16/1

Off the mark at the third time of asking for connections when landing a Fairyhouse 2m maiden on soft ground at the end of last month, beating 24 rivals 5L. Likely to find stiff opposition from a stablemate.

Form: 241-F31

Latest Exhibition³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: B J Cooper| T: P Nolan

9/2

Followed up a win on debut at Galway in October by running the likable Abacadabras to 3L in the Grade 3 'For Auction' novice hurdle at this venue over 2m last month. More needed in this contest.

Form: 21-12

Sixshooter²²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| D

8/1

Off the mark over hurdles on seasonal debut in a Punchestown maiden over a similar trip in October before an error strewn effort over 2m at Gowran Park last month finishing a well held third of seven. Needs to tidy up his hurdling.

Form: 1-113

Forecasts

Andy Dufresne (1/3), Latest Exhibition (9/2), Sixshooter (8/1), Conflated (16/1)

Trainer Gordon Elliott landed the spoils in this contest in 2014 with No More Heroes and again three years ago with Death Duty. The handler can add to that total with the likable Doyen gelding ANDY DUFRESNE, who won on hurdling debut in facile fashion over C&D last month, a race that has already produced the third, Alpine Cobra to win at Punchestown before finishing second of six in a Grade 3 novice hurdle at Cork earlier this month. Latest Exhibition for the Paul Nolan yard can emerge as the biggest danger following a fine run in the Grade 3 'For Auction' novice hurdle at this track last month.