Dedigout the Gigginstown NAP in Navan’s Grade 2 triple bill
Published:
Gigginstown House stud and Brian Cooper are expected to serve it up to the Willie Mullins/Ruby Walsh axis on a Grade-2 strewn day of rest in County Meath.
Read on for selections across the Navan card’s three high-class contests.
Contested over 2m5f, the Boyne Hurdle has an intriguing cast of characters.
Briar Hill (the Cheltenham Champion Bumper winner of 2013) has struggled for form this season, while stablemate and fellow Andrea and Graham Wylie-owned runner Back In Focus will make his return to the racecourse after a nigh-on two-year absence, with the Grand National his ultimate destination.
Both have plenty to prove, unlike Dedigout, who had both the first named and the re-opposing Zaidpour well beaten when scoring at this level over 3m at Gowran Park last month.
Despite being the highest-rated beast in the race, he receives 2lbs from both those vanquished foes here, finding himself quite the best off at the weights with all concerned.
Nor should he be inconvenienced by ground with ‘yielding’ in the description, having landed the second of his two wins from three spins at Navan over a 2m4f on faster ground than is expected here earlier in the campaign.
Ender Bolger’s Gilgamboa is likely to be a warm favourite for the Flying Bolt Novice Chase, as he has 12lbs and upwards in hand on his rivals on ratings.
However, the kind of hammering he received at the hoofs of Un De Sceaux last time out may effect his confidence and Real Steel, in receipt of a 6lbs has the kind of form in the bank to take advantage if so.
Mouse Morris’ gelding beat the ill-fated Le Vent D’Antan by more than 4l earlier this term, before going on to finish upsides of classy types like the Tullow Tank when third behind Alvisio Ville and Apache Stronghold in the Grade 1 Drinmore Novices Chase.
Noel Meade’s Cheltenham Festival winner has been pulled up on his last two starts, yet remains the joint-highest rated horse in the field for the Ten Up Novice Chase, thanks to victory on his sole completed chase outing back in October.
He has plenty to prove, but according to Cooper he’s in the mood to do just that, with the Gigginstown-retained pilot telling Racing UK:
“He has been pulled up the last twice, but when I rode him at home two weeks ago he worked great with Apache Stronghold and Texas Jack. Both of them have ran really well since [the former has scored at Grade 1 Level], so I’m hopeful of a big run.”
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
Fancy a flutter? Sign up today to claim up to £25 in free bets.
