Tom Symonds charting Betfair Hurdle course with Navajo Indy

By Tony Kelshaw

Horse Racing

Thu December 05, 2024 · 2w ago

Navajo Indy looked to be a gelding going places when landing the Gerry Feilden at Newbury and could ultimately return to his beloved Berkshire track as a major player in the Betfair Hurdle.

Although no longer a graded contest won by the likes of Comedy Of Errors, Kribensis, Rock On Ruby and Epatante, the now-intermediate handicap hurdle still had a quality feel to it.

Under Gavin Sheehan, Navajo Indy overcame a mistake three out to score readily from Queens Gamble and a string of well-regarded sorts.

The five-year-old’s previous victory at Bangor has also been subsequently franked by runner-up Gamesters Guy romping home at Carlisle and trainer Tom Symonds has high hopes for his charge, who won a bumper at Newbury and was second to Be Aware in a maiden hurdle there.

He said: “We were thrilled, it was a big ask for his handicap debut, but I thought we might as well utilise his Newbury knowledge in a race which is designed for second-season novices.

“Due to the fact that he won his novice late on last season, he obviously remained one until the end of November, so he’s now out of those and has won an intermediate hurdle hopefully on the way to doing better things.

“I thought 120 was lenient but I thought it might only be shown to be so over further, but I thought we might as well go to a track where he clearly stays really well, which is what they have to do at Newbury, among other things.

“But I was thrilled with the way he settled, jumped and then stayed on to the line. And then to see the horse that he beat at Bangor win very handsomely at Carlisle the day after was great too.”

Navajo Indy has been raised 8lb to a mark of 128 and with thoughts of stepping up in trip shelved for the time being, Symonds must assess his options regarding the best route to the Betfair Hurdle on February 8.

He added: “This horse has never put a hoof wrong really and I think his best asset is being able to gallop at speed and stay, which a track like Newbury really does aid that kind of result.

“Eight pounds is what it is and the difficulty is that we still have the option of trying to go for 0-130s or 0-140s with him, but I still feel that would take away the biggest weapon in his arsenal, which is that if they go a gallop, he can stay that gallop.

“I know it was an intermediate hurdle and not an open one, but it was a quality field and the ground might have been on the better side than we wanted it and he showed that didn’t bother him. The time was quite good in comparison to the Listed race, so that was something to note.

“The Ladbrokes race at Ascot in December might come soon enough for him, but other than that there isn’t an awful lot for him handicap-wise of that nature.

“So, we might be looking to lower our sights for a closed handicap over two miles, because I don’t really think we need to step him up at the moment on the back of Saturday. Then in the Betfair, you’d hope to get one of those nice, older type of horses entered, so we get in off a nice weight.”

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