Four to follow in Ireland on Saturday: Mullins strike rate at Navan almost 30% Racing action in Ireland on Saturday sees both codes catered for with jumping action taking place at Navan starting at 1.07pm and Gowran staging a flat card beginning at 2.06pm. Ger Lyons, fresh from his Irish Champions Festival brace at Leopardstown with Maire Rua in the Ingabelle and Krasinir (Sovereign Path), sends two runners to Gowran, both with chances. His juvenile Castilian Queen was easy enough to back on Cork debut over 7f but met traffic problems before keeping on for a never nearer fourth. A first foal out of a juvenile Group 2 Rockfel Stakes winner, this daughter of Frankel should appreciate this extra furlong. She can step up on that debut effort with the 98-rated Nevermindtherain (Aidan O’Brien) the obvious danger. Lyons’ other runner on the card is Faiyum in the Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies Stakes bidding to repeat last year’s win. A non-runner at Leopardstown last weekend due to the going (good), she appreciates an ease in the ground. While the surface on Saturday won’t be as testing as 12 months ago when she relished heavy ground and made all the running to score by seven lengths, the recent rain will be a help. On her last start in the Group 3 Snow Fairy Stakes she had no answer to the visiting Miss Scott (John & Thady Gosden) but had Sindria (Joseph O’Brien) who she meets again a half-length back in third. Also behind her at the Curragh that day were Saga Gaga (4th), Syzygy (7th) and Sky Watch who trailed home last of 14. Martin calls up King again Tony Martin has hailed the riding talents of Dan King on more than one occasion this year. He acquires the services of this rising star on two of his three runners on Saturday including Goin’ in the second division of the 2m3f handicap hurdle at 3.26pm. The 6yo gelding has been slow to come to hand since arriving from Germany but shaped reasonably well on handicap debut in a Ladies handicap hurdle at Punchestown 2m3f despite racing keenly. On his next start the application of a tongue-tie and a hood for the first time saw the market speak in his favour and he looked to be travelling like the winner coming down to the last at Bellewstown only to finish third over an extended 2m4f. Dropping down slightly in trip with the tongue-tie and hood tried again, he’s worth another chance despite this 2lb higher mark. Mullins strike rate at Navan almost 30% Willie Mullins has an impressive strike rate at Navan with almost 30% of his runners winning there in recent years. The champion trainer sends just one runner to the meeting, Emerald Enigma who’ll be a short price to open her account over hurdles in the 2m5f maiden hurdle at 4.02pm. Another positive is stable jockey Paul Townend, who hasn’t ridden in public since Galway on Sept 7, is travelling to the Meath venue to team up for his sole ride on the day. One of five mares in the 16-runner field Emerald Enigma proved a costly failure when favourite at Cork 2m1f on hurdle debut last month. She managed only third behind her stablemate Easter Bonnet, who didn’t go unbacked herself on the day (11/1 in the morning, returned 6/1), and was beaten when getting the last wrong. She plugged on after her last flight mistake shaping like a further stamina test would suit. Prior to her first start over timber she won her first two bumper starts on easier ground also going right-handed at Cork and Punchestown, justifying favouritism on both occasions. That initial experience should stand to her and stepping up in trip, going left-handed (she did run around after turning for home at Cork) for the first time, should all enhance her prospects. Four To Follow Gowran 2.41 Castilian Queen Gowran 3.50 Faiyum Navan 3.26 Goin' Navan 4.02 Emerald Enigma
