Saturday's Irish Lucky15 racing tips: 'Clearly represents the best value' Navan stages a competitive seven-race card on Saturday, the action getting underway at the County Meath track at 12:10 with a 2m rated hurdle, a race that usually takes plenty of winning. Indeed, hurdle races dominate the first half of the card, prior to a strong beginners’ chase, a competitive handicap chase and an informative bumper, which has been won four times in the last 10 years by Gordon Elliott. Our expert has had a look at the card and picked out four strong fancies, who can be combined to form a Lucky 15. 12:10 Navan - Zeus Power There has been some opposition to Zeus Power in the early betting exchanges for the opening rated hurdle, but he looked good when winning at Thurles last month and may have been underestimated. The Joseph O’Brien-trained gelding, who was placed in a pair of Galway bumpers in October, shaped encouragingly on his hurdling debut over 2m4f at Thurles the following month, the son of Protectionist keeping on for a remote second of the 16 runners, having shown signs of early greenness as well as suffering interference at the third flight. However, he took a big step forward in terms of performance when dropped back to 2m at the same venue last month, putting 16 lengths between himself and his nearest pursuer, despite a serious error at the second-last. He ran to a Racing Post Rating of 128 on that occasion, which matches the level of form shown by the likely favourite Lazare de Star, so clearly represents the best value. 12:45 Navan - He Can’t Dance Gordon Elliott’s He Can’t Dance has yet to translate his strong bumper form to hurdles, but he’s improved with each run this season and looks set to enhance his trainer’s outstanding record in the 2m6f maiden hurdle. The six-year-old grey, who runs in the colours of Gigginstown Stud, won a bumper at this track in December 2024 and went to run well in graded company, including when seventh behind Bambino Fever in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival last spring. He was well below that level on his hurdling debut, but ran to a Racing Post Rating of 115 when third at Punchestown in November and 123 when runner-up in a first-time tongue-tie at Thurles last month. He’s got 11 lengths to find with the reopposing Court Compliance on their Punchestown meeting, but that rival failed to build on that when beaten at odds-on subsequently and may struggle to confirm his superiority in a race that Elliott has won five times in the last six years. 14:25 Navan - Slade Steel It’s been a highly frustrating start over fences for Henry De Bromhead’s Slade Steel, the eight-year-old having been brought down by his chief market rival at Punchestown last month, following three previous seconds. The selection, who won the Grade 1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2024, was trying 3m for the first time at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve and all looked to be going well until disaster struck at the fourth-last. It’s hoped confidence hasn’t been affected and a reproduction of his course second at the start of last month, when he ran to a Racing Post Rating of 147, should suffice, albeit this is no penalty kick with both Wingmen and Patter Merchant in opposition. 15:35 Navan - Low Kick The concluding bumper has been a happy hunting ground for Gordon Elliott in recent seasons and that trend can continue courtesy of Low Kick, who makes his debut for the yard. The five-year-old, who finished third in a point at Garthorpe in February last year, ran an eye-catching race when filling the same position in an Aintree bumper for Jack Teal the next month. He came from a long way back on that occasion and was denied a run at a vital stage before finishing strongly. He subsequently changed hands for 170,000gns and, although an absence of 246 days isn’t ideal, this looks a good starting point for him.
