Donn McClean on upcoming Irish racing including Tote Navan Novice Hurdle and rescheduled John Durkan Chase

Punchestown’s John Durkan Memorial Chase card, frozen off last Sunday, is set to be run this Monday, eight days later. Thursday’s Naas card has been re-scheduled and is set for Tuesday, Fairyhouse’s Saturday card, defeat admitted on Friday morning, has been moved to Wednesday, and what was originally a week that was starved of Irish National Hunt racing, the run-in to Christmas, a week that was for shopping and such-like, is now looking decidedly full and fascinating.

The Grade 2 Tote Navan Novice Hurdle at, well, Navan on Sunday is an intriguing contest, as it often is. The race may have been shorn of its Grade 1 status a few years ago but, with a roll of honour that stretches back to Harbour Pilot and Newmill and Solerina, it can still often be a strong pointer to the future.

The first four in the market for the 2022 renewal all boast similar profiles. Absolute Notions was a surprise but impressive winner of the Goffs Land Rover Bumper at Punchestown last April on his racecourse debut and, sold for €370,000 two days later, he stayed on well to win his maiden on his hurdling debut at Punchestown last month on his first run in the Robcour colours. There is no knowing how high Gordon Elliott’s horse could go now, and this two-and-a-half-mile trip looks like a good one for him for now.

Winner of his only point-to-point for Paul Cashman and a £290,000 purchase shortly thereafter, Inthepocket looked really good in winning his maiden hurdle at Wexford on his first run under Rules for Henry de Bromhead and JP McManus in October, a race from which the third-placed horse Joyeux Machin has since come out and won impressively. And Deeply Superficial, also winner of her only point-to-point for Matthew O’Connor, was another six-figure purchase, and is another who got off the mark on her only run to date over hurdles, keeping on well to win a mares’ maiden hurdle at Galway in October, on the day that Inthepocket won at Wexford.

Three Card Brag is the only one of the top four in the market who doesn’t have a 1-1 record. He did have that record, he won his bumper at Wexford last March and he won his maiden hurdle at Galway in October, staying on well up the hill and finishing six and a half lengths clear of Sandor Clegane, and Paul Nolan’s horse enhanced that form when he ran out an impressive winner of his maiden hurdle at Punchestown three weeks ago.

Gordon Elliott’s horse ran well too last time in the Grade 3 For Auction Hurdle at Navan. He just appeared to get a little out-paced when they quickened, but he stayed on really well to finish third, beaten a total of just over a length by Hercule Du Seuil.

He shaped that day as if he would benefit from a step up in trip, and that hypothesis is backed up by his pedigree, being, as he is, a half-brother to Idle Talk, who finished second in a Sun Alliance Chase and who finished fourth in a Scottish Grand National, and to Belon Gale, who won a Northumberland National over four miles on heavy ground. It may be that the step up to two and a half miles will bring about sufficient progress from Three Card Brag to allow him prevail in which should be a really interesting contest.

The Bective Stud, Tea Rooms & Apartments Handicap Hurdle is also a really interesting contest, and Gordon Elliott could again hold the key, being responsible for six of the 23 declarations.

It is obviously significant that Jack Kennedy is staying loyal to Jungle Prose, who is one of the stories of this season so far. Beaten off a mark of 85 at Gowran Park in September on her first run for Gordon Elliott, the Yeats mare won next time at Thurles off that mark of 85, and she hasn’t looked back since.

She won at Down Royal off a mark of 97, and she won at Punchestown off a mark of 109, before going to Navan last time and winning an 80-130 handicap hurdle off a mark of 125.

The handicapper has given her another 12lb for that win, she is now rated 52lb higher than she was when she joined Gordon Elliott, and that is quite remarkable. And given she won with authority at Navan last time, her performance graph may not have plateaued yet.

Her stable companion Maxxum is another horse on the up. Only just beaten by Gaius at Punchestown on his first run for Elliott in October, he made no mistake next time at Navan when, backed into odds-on in a 22-runner handicap, he justified all of that support in running out an easy winner.

The handicapper raised him by 17lb for that win, but he was so impressive, he deserved a hike of similar magnitude. He is still only five, and he has the potential to go beyond the mark of 120 off which he will race on Sunday. The fact that he only has 10st 1lb to carry means that master horseman Davy Russell is unable to resume his partnership with him, but Sam Ewing is an able deputy who is riding out of his skin this season.

Looking further ahead, it’s brilliant that the John Durkan Chase card has been saved and scheduled for Monday.

All going well, that will be the stage for the seasonal debut of Galopin Des Champs, last season’s dual Grade 1 winner, this season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite.

It will be a first step for Willie Mullins’ horse into the season, a first foray for him beyond novice company over fences. We have had to be patient, but you know that he will be worth the wait.

www.donnmcclean.com

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