2:50 Navan Racecourse Race
The soft ground is a big unknown for Okita Soushi so this race could setup perfectly for FRENCH CLAIM. Although his form did tail off towards the end of last season, Paddy Twomey’s charge was still good enough to finish 3rd in the Irish Derby and his pedigree would suggest that he will have no problems with the Heavy going at Navan. This looks to be a good piece of placement to get his 4-year-old season off to a flying start.
4:00 – Navanracecourse.ie Maiden
The Aiden O’Brien pair are of obvious interest, especially as Ryan Moore has been booked to ride Gooloogong, but this race could go to NATION’S CALL. Trained by Dermot Weld, this son of Frankel was too keen to do himself justice in 2 starts last summer, but he did shape like a horse who would improve with time and a step up in trip and the form of his 4th placed finish behind Denmark at Naas in August looks reasonable in the context of this race.
His Dam won on soft ground so the softer conditions shouldn’t cause too much concern and she improved as a 3-year-old, so there is plenty of hope that he could do the same.
5:35 – Vintage Crop Raceday April 22nd (C&G) Maiden
Aiden O’Brien is operating at a 27% strike rate in the past 14-days and as the master of Ballydoyle begins to unleash his better prospects for the new season, there is a good chance that strike rate could improve at Navan on Wednesday. BALLSBRIDGE stands out on paper. A son of Happily, he comes from a family that Aiden O’Brien knows so well (Gleneagles, Joan of Arc, Giants Causeway) and this Irish 2,000 Guineas entry looks the part on paper.
He missed his only engagement as a 2-year-old and the application of Blinkers for his debut would suggest that he hasn’t been entirely straight forwards. However, the fact that Ryan Moore is flown in to ride him would suggest that his Classic ambitions are still being considered and it will be fascinating to see if he can make a winning start to his career.
