Irish Horseracing Betting: Sunday at Navan

005 Irish Racing / Wayne Bailey / 22 November 2008 / Leave a Comment

It was a day for the layers on Saturday with just one short priced favourite going in at Gowran Park - and Kauto Star getting turned over across the water. Wayne Bailey hopes for a reprieve at Navan on Sunday...

They say a week is a long time in politics, but a day seems even longer in racing! Saturday proved tough for punters on both sides of the Irish Sea, with Kauto Star unseating Sam Thomas and Exotic Dancer only managing third place at Haydock. Meanwhile at Gowran, layers went home with bulging satchels as just one favourite managed to find the way to the winners' enclosure. The world keeps turning however, so let's dust ourselves down and go back to battle at Navan:

12:25 - Cusack Hotels 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle

Not a whole lot to go on, but it's worth sticking with likely favourite Tharawaat from the Gordon Elliot stable. He had a reasonable career on the flat previous, and showed some promise when coming second to The Fist Of God at Down Royal three weeks ago. He jumped well that day, and if he can repeat that form, he'll win this race.

Advice: Back Tharawaat to win.

1:00 - "Monksfield" Novice Hurdle (Grade 2)

A decent little race this, and another I think will go to the favourite. Pandorama hasn't put a foot wrong thus far and won all three of his races under rules - races which were made up of two bumpers and a maiden hurdle a couple of weeks ago. Previously, he'd shown plenty of promise in a point-to-point, and it looks like we'll be hearing a lot more about Noel Meade's gelding this season. The obvious danger is Paul Nolan's Alpha Ridge, a horse that's really come into form this season.

Advice: Back Pandorama to win.

1:30 - williamhillcasino.com Handicap Hurdle

A massive field for this handicap and It's a race I won't be spending a whole lot of money on. One of the more interesting contenders is Sporteen, a horse who is prone to trouble in-running. However, he's a better horse than his bare form figures reveal, and with four to be placed, I'll have a small bet that he'll make the frame today.

Advice: Back Sporteen to be placed (small stakes).

2:00 - Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Maiden Hurdle

I've been waiting quite some time for Willie Mullins' French import Mikael D'Haguenet to make it into a race in Ireland. He's been on the reserve list a number of times, but finally gets the call today in a fairly open affair. His French form over fences is reasonable, and I'm confident that Mullins can get a few wins out of him soon.

Advice: Back Mikael D'Haguenet to win and place.

2:30 - williamhill.ie Troytown Handicap Chase (Grade B)

The feature race of the day sees some familiar faces, and Timeform have the whole field rated within a few pounds of each other. I'm going to stick with Chelsea Harbour who should have regained some confidence when stylishly winning a handicap hurdle at Clonmel ten days ago. On occasion, he can jump to the left so I'm hoping we won't see any of that today. Paul Nicholls has a formidable record when sending horses to Ireland, so the obvious danger is Officier De Reserve. Nicholls is here for business, so I'll keep his runner on my side in the place market.

Advice: Back Chelsea Harbour to win, back Officier De Reserve to be placed.

3:05 - Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Beginners Chase

Jaamid performed well on his chasing debut when coming second to Made In Taipan at Naas earlier this month and looks like one that can improve over fences. He's normally held up, and it may be possible to get a better price about the gelding in-running. Your Sum Man could present problems, but I believe he's underpriced in an open looking race, and I'll be clicking the pink button for Anthony Mullins' six-year-old.

Advice: Back Jaamid to win, lay Your Sum Man.

3:40 - Cusack Homes (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race

As I mentioned before, bumpers are not my strongest point so as always, stakes will be fun-sized in this race. Every time I back Nina Carberry in a bumper she loses, and when I lay she wins. Like most women, she's hard to figure out! However, I'll take a chance on Roches Point today, the five-year-old that didn't do too much wrong when coming second in a similar race at Down Royal recently. He's reported to be fit and ready, so let' hope he goes one better today.

Advice: Back Roches Point (small stakes).