‘Absolutely bolted up’ - Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Handicap Chase Final Tips Although we are between the big festivals, there’s some quality action on offer this weekend, especially at Navan on Saturday. Their feature race is the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Handicap Chase Final, which takes place at 16:17, and most of the big names are set to be represented. Run over just shy of three miles, there’s €60,000 on offer and you won’t want to miss it. A grand total of 12 runners have been declared and our expert has previewed the big race, picking out two of their strongest fancies to follow. Selection: Magic McColgan @ 11/2 with Paddy Power Next Best: Rokathir @ 6/1 with Paddy Power A fiercely competitive affair The hat-trick-seeking Showurappreciation heads the betting for this race but Jonathan Sweeney’s eight-year-old is now rated 10lb higher than when winning at Punchestown in January. Magic McColgan and Rokathir represent Willie Mullins and Henry de Bromhead respectively. Ross O’Sullivan runs Nelson County and he followed up his impressive Fairyhouse novice chase success by finishing third to Rokathir. He might need more than 4lb to reverse the form. Maxi Mac Gold was second in the same race and he also has an each-way chance. Kish Bank is the most interesting of Gordon Elliott’s representatives and if you can forgive his most recent performance, the form of his Leopardstown handicap win gives him a shout. McColgan can produce the magic for Mullins Cheltenham was another huge success for the Willie Mullins yard and having claimed the top trainer trophy yet again, he will be setting his sights on reeling in Gordon Elliott. He runs the mare MAGIC MCCOLGAN here and she’s definitely going the right way over fences. She won a Punchestown maiden hurdle over an extended 2m3f last term and was deemed smart enough to run in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on the strength of that effort. Things didn’t quite go to plan and the 2m1f trip was a little on the sharp side for her. Progressing over fences this season, she ran in a Listed contest at Naas last time out and was denied by only half-a-length when finishing second. She shapes as if the step up in trip might help her and Paul Townend will undoubtedly give her every chance to get the trip. Rokathir remains potentially unexposed for Henry de Bromhead It has been a very testing season for the Henry de Bromhead yard but they still managed to come away with a couple of Cheltenham Festival winners, including Heart Wood in the Ryanair. The fact that ROKATHIR has managed to string together two consecutive successes is a promising sign. He needed the run when seventh on his seasonal debut Thurles in December, and it’s also worth noting that the yard was experiencing a severe dry spell at the time too. He then took a big step forward over fences next time and absolutely bolted up in a Navan handicap chase in February. More success was on the cards at Fairyhouse next time and he managed to get the better of Maxi Mac Gold, who is in opposition once again here, despite giving that rival 11lb. He’s 2lb better off with him here and there should be more to come before the handicapper catches up.
