Navan - 9/11/08

[WoodyTHFC]

1.25 Jaffonnien 5/1 var bog 10 pts Could be a warmish grade 3 this. One of the most unexposed runners is jaffonnien. So far he just has one run and win in a bumper but it was a hugely impressive win and went straight into my notebook afterwards. The form of that win has worked out extremely well especially by bumper standards, the second has won sicne as has the third, sixth, seventh and the eigth so lots of substance to that effort. how he gets on over hurdles will be interesting but it is significant that connections have thought him good enough to go into a graded event straight away. 1.55 Aitmatov 9/2 var bog 15 pts Another hot race with the likes of Kazal, Catch Me, Hardy Eustace plus a couple of interesting mares. Probably taking most prominance is the clash once again between Aitmatov and Kazal. Kazal a real grinder who is most effective in bog like conditions and has had victories over Aitmatov in the past. However i give prefernce to Aitmatov who i think has his ideal trip today. He has been tried at 2m and 3m with mixed success but at this sort of middle distance he is a major threat and especially at this time of the season. Last season he was very impressive early on in the season like a lot of Meade horses, he got up late on at this distance to beat Sweet Kiln once in a graded event proving once again that he can go on slower ground. His form did dip a bit afterwards but that was the case for lots of Meade horses and during that time included being behind Kazal twice, once over a trip that may have stretched him. However with Meade starting the season well and with Aitmatov probbaly running over his ideal trip, I give preference to him. 2.55 Schindlers Hunt 9/2 bet3 bog 15 pts Top class in his novice chaser as he won a couple of grade 1 events before only a clerical error stopped him taking his chance at the arkle. His form was a bit below par early on last season but he ran a fine race to be fourth in the QMCC, he set a lot of the running that day and whilst well beaten by the awesome Master Minded, he deserves a lot of credit for his performance and was a bit unlukcy to have third spot taken late on. After that he won a big chase ahead of mansony who was giving weight but was still well put in his place by schindlers hunt. Mansony just got the edge over him very narrowly in a grade 1 after that to prove their is little between them but I just feel that Schindlers Hunt looks to have good conditions today. The ground is absolutely fine for him, so is 2m whereas Mansony has hinted of late that he may need a trip now. Another horse I like is Scotirish but he has a couple of issues, one his jumping but also the decision to drop him back in trip when he seemed to thrive over an increased trip at the end of last season. 3.25 Aran concerto 5/6 spo 15 pts Massive hype horse this one and that probably does not do him justice. Meade once famously and arguably regrettably said it was the best horse he ever trained. Still he was top class in typical Meade fashion early on two years back over hurdles, he won a couple of grade 1 events in good style and looked a real star, the fact he went off just 5/2 at chelt. said it all but he ran maybe a bit below par that day. Still ran repectably but he paid for a mistake two out and ended up fifth in a strongish ballymore that year. He then had the odd niggle that kept him back for a year but that could end up suiting him in the long term. Certainly it is a hugley respected chasing bow, he ought to have been well schooled, he is a fascinating runner, could be end up cheltenham class?

[Tedthewolf]

Re: Navan - 9/11/08 A watching brief for me in the bumper i like the well bred FLORIDA PAL trained by Willie Mullins well noted for producing decent bumpers could turn out to be decent as could the well backed fav ACROSS THE BAY trained by Noel Meade who also does well in these races. Both may be worth following but to short for me to back today at 11/4-7/4 respectfully.